MusaRoberto De Zerbi has praised Dominic Solanke, describing the striker as potentially the best option for Tottenham Hotspur amid the continued absence of Richarlison.
The 29-year-old forward wore the captain’s armband for the first time during Tottenham’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Solanke rescued a point for his side by scoring a dramatic equaliser in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, marking his first Premier League goal since March.
Solanke began the season behind Richarlison in Tottenham’s attacking pecking order, coming on as a substitute during the opening match. However, the situation has since changed significantly, with the Brazilian forward now excluded from the club’s Premier League squad after falling out with De Zerbi following his request to leave.
Speaking after the draw against Manchester United, De Zerbi explained his decision to hand Solanke the captain’s armband, particularly with several senior players either unavailable or not included in the starting lineup.
Micky van de Ven only appeared as a substitute, while Pedro Porro, Tottenham’s second-choice captain, was sidelined through injury. Ben Davies and James Maddison, who were next in line for the captaincy, also began the match on the bench.
Despite those circumstances, De Zerbi chose Solanke ahead of Archie Gray, who started at right-back.
The England international has already captained Tottenham in their opening fixture against Brentford and their Carabao Cup third-round clash with Liverpool. De Zerbi previously identified him as the club’s fifth captain in August, but the Italian manager believes the striker has earned the responsibility.
Explaining his decision, De Zerbi revealed that he wanted to support Solanke after the criticism he had received over Tottenham’s struggles in front of goal.
“Because he suffered maybe too much. Because ‘Tottenham didn’t win, Tottenham didn’t score, who is the striker of Tottenham? Solanke is not good enough’,” the Spurs manager said.
However, De Zerbi strongly disagreed with those criticisms, insisting that Solanke possesses the qualities required to lead Tottenham’s attack.
“It’s not true, Solanke is good enough to play; maybe he is the best striker for us, because of his qualities. He is a complete player; he is a good guy; he has personality,” he added.
The Tottenham boss also stressed that the striker must maintain his physical fitness to perform at his best, while making it clear that he has considerable faith in his abilities.
“He has to feel good in terms of his physical condition, but he is a great player. I wanted to show what is my confidence, and what is the importance I give him in this team.”
De Zerbi further explained that appointing Solanke as captain was a deliberate show of support following the criticism directed at the forward. According to the Italian, the decision also received a positive response from the rest of the squad.
“After the last game, the criticism, I wanted to put him as captain, to show my confidence and the confidence of the team, because all other players were happy when I said that Domi Solanke is captain,” he continued.
The former Brighton manager emphasised that supporting players during difficult periods is an important part of building a united team.
“When one player of us is in a difficult situation, all other players and staff and myself, we have to show, to be close with him, like a family, like a team, like a normal team.”
Solanke’s late equaliser against Manchester United could prove important as he looks to establish himself as Tottenham’s leading striker under De Zerbi. The forward is now joint-top scorer for Spurs across all competitions this season, alongside Conor Gallagher.
His other goal came during Tottenham’s Carabao Cup victory over Charlton Athletic, and his latest contribution will provide a timely confidence boost as he continues to fight for a regular starting position.
Musa
