Ange Postecoglou’s Vision for Dominic Solanke and Richarlison at Tottenham

Ange Postecoglou’s Vision for Dominic Solanke and Richarlison at Tottenham

Ange Postecoglou has just received his most expensive signing at Tottenham, with Dominic Solanke arriving from Bournemouth. Spurs decided to invest £55 million in the England international, with an additional £10 million potentially coming through bonus payments, after he scored 19 goals in 38 Premier League appearances last season.

Many are curious about how Solanke fits into Postecoglou’s attacking plans at Tottenham, especially with players like Richarlison and Heung-min Son already in the squad.

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Solanke and Richarlison: A Competitive Dynamic

According to a report from the Mirror (print version, page 79, Sunday 11th August), Postecoglou views Solanke as the perfect competitor for Richarlison. This suggests that the Australian manager doesn’t plan to use Solanke and Richarlison together in attack, even though they could theoretically complement each other.

Last season, Richarlison made four appearances on the left flank and 24 in the center, while Solanke played all 38 of his matches as a central striker. While Richarlison could play off Solanke from the left, it seems Postecoglou might prefer using Son in that role, with the new £55 million signing leading the line, likely supported by Dejan Kulusevski or Timo Werner providing width on the opposite side.

A Potential Repeat of the Kane-Son Dynamic

Solanke brings a physical presence to Spurs’ attack, something they’ve missed since selling Harry Kane to Bayern Munich. The 6’1″ striker excels at holding up the ball and pinning defenders, and his sharp awareness on the field is evident, as shown by his exceptional goal last season where he expertly found space to score.

With these qualities, Solanke could develop into a Kane-like figure for Spurs, working with Son by anticipating the South Korean’s movements, winning flick-ons for Tottenham’s No. 7, and finishing chances created by his strike partner.

It remains to be seen exactly how Postecoglou will deploy Solanke, but it seems likely that a partnership with Son could be more effective than pairing Solanke with Richarlison, who might end up occupying similar spaces if they played together.