Tottenham Hotspur are not actively looking to sell Dominic Solanke in January despite the £65 million striker scoring just twice in 10 games this season, with Roberto De Zerbi and his coaching staff keeping faith that a fit Solanke can still lead their line.
The 29-year-old's future had become a talking point after another quiet start to a campaign in north London. Solanke managed just six goals in 20 appearances last season, only three of them in 15 Premier League outings, and the goals have not flowed in the opening two months of this season either. For a fee of that size, that return invites questions — but Spurs, according to reports on Tuesday, are not preparing to cut their losses.
Spurs Not Pushing for a Solanke Sale
According to Football Insider, reported by Sports Mole, Tottenham are not "actively" looking to sell Solanke in the upcoming transfer windows. The striker is said to remain highly regarded by De Zerbi and his staff, who believe he can rediscover his scoring touch if he can finally enjoy a long period without injury.
That last point is the heart of Tottenham's thinking. Solanke has battled continual injuries since his £65 million move from Bournemouth in 2024 and has rarely had a sustained run in the team. This season he has at least been regularly involved, even if two goals from 10 games in all competitions is well short of what Spurs paid for.
There is also no financial need to move him on. Solanke's contract runs through the summer of 2030, so Tottenham hold all the cards — and, as CaughtOffside also reported on Tuesday, the hierarchy are reluctant to sanction a January departure for a player they still believe can become a reliable goalscorer in north London.
The Numbers That Explain the Doubt
None of that means the doubt around Solanke is unfair. A £65 million No 9 is judged on goals, and Solanke's Tottenham record — interrupted by injury, short of rhythm — has never yet matched the season at Bournemouth that persuaded Spurs to pay that fee in the first place.
De Zerbi's own recent team news underlined how stretched the attack has become: after the win over Coventry, the head coach was left playing down injury withdrawals across his forward line. A fit, firing Solanke would solve several problems at once. A half-fit one solves none of them, which is why January matters so much.
So What: Competition Is Coming, Not a Replacement
Keeping Solanke does not mean standing still. Spurs are still expected to strengthen in attack in January — but any new striker would arrive as competition for Solanke, not as his immediate replacement.
That distinction matters because of what is happening around him. Richarlison has been frozen out by De Zerbi and is widely expected to find a new club in the winter market, while Omar Marmoush is viewed by the manager as a wider attacking option rather than a week-to-week centre-forward. Tottenham have recently been linked with Eintracht Frankfurt forward Younes Ebnoutalib as they scour the market, a link that fits the brief: young competition, not a Solanke successor.
In other words, January will raise the pressure on Solanke, not remove him. If a new forward arrives and starts scoring, faith will be tested quickly. If Solanke stays fit through the winter and the goals come, Tuesday's decision will look like patience rewarded.
Beyond the Final Whistle: Tottenham are right not to panic-sell Solanke — a £65 million striker written off while injured is how clubs turn one bad decision into two — but faith now has an expiry date. Give him a fit run to January, judge him on goals, and bring in real competition either way.
Should Spurs stick with Solanke as their main No 9, or is it already time to move on? Let us know what you think in the comments.
