Thomas Frank has asked Tottenham fans for patience as Dominic Solanke moves closer to a return from injury.
The Spurs boss admitted the club’s record signing is still not sharp enough after a lengthy injury layoff.
Solanke, signed for £65m, has not played since August after undergoing ankle surgery and is working towards his return after four months on the sidelines.
While Frank says the England forward is making progress, Tottenham’s head coach has been open about the reality of his current condition.
Dominic Solanke fitness update
After training, Frank acknowledged that Solanke is showing encouraging signs on the ball but is yet to rediscover the intensity required in competitive situations.
“Today you could see in training that he is nice and calm on the ball, makes good decisions, good ball contacts,” said Frank.
“And then when we are a bit more competitive in the small-sided games, he obviously lacks sharpness and looks a bit rusty, which is completely normal.”
Solanke last featured in Tottenham’s defeat to Manchester City on August 25, having suffered the injury in pre-season before opting for surgery in September.
Frank confirmed the striker will not be involved against Bournemouth on Wednesday night, although there are hopes he could return later this month.
“Of course it will take some time,” Frank added. “Even if he’s ready in the near future, I think you’ll be surprised to see him hit the ground running. Very few players do that.”
Tottenham’s attacking problems
Spurs’ need for Solanke is clear. They have failed to score from open play in four of their last five Premier League matches and are 13th in the table after Sunday’s 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland, a result that drew boos at the final whistle.
Despite their position, Tottenham are just four points behind Chelsea in fifth place, showing just how tight the table is. But the lack of forward thinking has become a growing concern, especially with Solanke sidelined.
Thomas Frank comments on his future
Recent managerial turmoil elsewhere – including Chelsea’s sacking of Enzo Maresca on New Year’s Day and Manchester United sacking Ruben Amorim on Monday – has inevitably led to speculation about the Spurs manager.
However, Frank insists he is not concerned about his position.
The Dane was interviewed by both Chelsea and United in May 2024 and used the moment to highlight the importance of long-term alignment between ownership, leadership and head coach.
“It is very difficult to achieve sustainable success when you change key personnel,” says Frank. “If you think you have the right one and are aligned, you have to do it over a longer period of time.
“The best clubs are aligned over time – ownership, leadership and head coach – and you block out the noise and look at the progress behind that.
“It goes up and down, and hopefully more and more over time. Then you achieve something great together. The three biggest, latest examples of this are of course Liverpool, City and Arsenal.”
For now, Spurs’ immediate focus is away to Bournemouth on Wednesday night. Solanke will not be present, and Frank’s message to supporters is clear: patience will be needed before Tottenham’s key striker is back to his best.
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