Solanke Surgery Update: Frank Drops Bombshell on Star Striker's Recovery Timeline
Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank disclosed that he anticipates Dominic Solanke won't be sidelined for an extended period, even though the forward has been compelled to have surgical treatment.
Solanke has yet to feature in a starting lineup under Frank's management, accumulating merely 49 total minutes through three substitute outings this campaign before a persistent ankle problem rendered him completely unavailable for team selection from late August forward.
Addressing the media before Tottenham's Champions League encounter with Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt on Tuesday night, Frank disclosed that the club's primary striker hadn't responded positively to conservative treatment approaches.
"We opted to proceed with minor surgical intervention," the Danish manager explained. "It's a minimal procedure. This means he won't be available for today [Tuesday], naturally. And obviously, he'll miss the Leeds match as well. We'll have additional updates regarding the timeline following the international break. However, I don't anticipate it being lengthy."
Spurs face newly promoted Leeds United on Saturday at midday before resuming after October's international pause with Aston Villa visiting on Oct. 19.
Richarlison has stepped up impressively during Solanke's unavailability, notching three Premier League strikes in merely six outings. Less than eight weeks into the fresh season, the Brazilian international is just one goal short of equaling his complete total from last campaign. Nevertheless, concerns have emerged regarding how Spurs find themselves dependent on a single striker who has his own inconsistent fitness history.
Frank Supports Tottenham's Medical Staff
Frank faced a direct question during his pre-match media session about whether Spurs had squandered a month by not proceeding with Solanke's surgery immediately when the problem surfaced. "It's not that straightforward," the Tottenham manager responded firmly.
"Had we known we could have performed the surgery a month earlier, we likely would have proceeded. For me, I always think, 'well, it is what it is, we move forward from here.'
"Undoubtedly, our approach to this situation was based on what we believed was the correct course of action because generally speaking, nobody desires surgery, regardless of how minor it might be."
Additional striker Randal Kolo Muani continues to deal with a muscle injury while club captain Cristian Romero wasn't included in the traveling party in what Frank characterized as a "preventative measure."