AC Milan are planning to use Croatia legend Luka Modric to help land his former Real Madrid team-mate Andriy Lunin in case their star goalkeeper Mike Maignan exits the club as a free agent. Maignan, a France international, looks set to leave the Italian club at the end of the season, with no new contract talks scheduled with the Serie A giants.

• Maignan set to leave AC Milan

  With his contract expiring at the end of this season, Maignan can begin negotiations with other clubs as early as January, raising the possibility of leaving Milan on a free transfer next summer. The Rossoneri had reportedly offered an extension until 2028, increasing his salary from €2.8 million to €5.5m per year, but he has not been convinced to sign on the dotted line with reporting that no further talks are scheduled between the goalkeeper and club. 

  Maignan is reportedly demanding a fee in the region of €8m, which is significantly higher than what the Italian giants are offering. Juventus have emerged as serious contenders for Maignan's signature, while top European clubs like Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also in the race. 

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  Milan want Madrid's Lunin

  With Maignan unlikely to stay back, AC Milan have started their search for a new No.9 at San Siro and reports that they have included Real Madrid's Ukrainian custodian Lunin. further claims that Los Blancos value the Ukraine international in the region of €25m. 

  Lunin is represented by famous football agent Jordge Mendez, a representative with whom Milan have worked in the past. Mendez also represents former Milan star Joao Felix and Pervis Estupinan and Rafael Leao. The report also adds that the Italian giants are hoping that Modric, who joined them from Madrid, would play a key role in the club's negotiation with Lunin and convince him to move to Milan. 

• Why do top European clubs want Maignan?

  The French goalkeeper has established himself as one of the best in his position in Europe during his time in Milan. He's also the No.1 for France and wore the captain's armband back in October in the absence of injured skipper Kylian Mbappe. France boss Didier Deschamps explained why he went with his goalkeeper, as he said: "Mike is a leader. Against Azerbaijan, when Kylian came off, Mike took over the armband. The fact that he has been able to play so many matches means that he is solid. He is a great competitor, even in training. He is a workaholic, sometimes a little too much in my opinion. But that's how he is." 

  The stopper also does not lack confidence. When asked if he is the best goalkeeper in the world, he told : "I’m not going to say, no. There are a lot of great goalkeepers around. I only focus on myself. I know my potential. I believe in myself. I’ve worked really hard to get where I am. I don’t feel I’m a spectacular keeper. I try to do things in the simplest way possible.”

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• How is it going for Modric at Milan?

  After spending more than a decade at Santiago Bernabeu, where he established himself as an all-time great in world football, Modric finally left Madrid this summer to join AC Milan on a free transfer. The veteran midfielder has appeared in 15 matches for the club thus far in all competitions, where he has scored one goal and provided two assists.

  When asked why he chose to move to Italy, Modrid had earlier said: "After Real, I've always said it, wherever you go it's a step down. There is no doubt about this and all players can confirm it. But I think I arrived at a club that is very close to Real Madrid in terms of reputation and history: for me it is the most ideal situation that could have happened to me. Especially because I love Milan and as a child I grew up with Italian football. Milan was the club I adored the most. When Milan's option presented itself, it was the right one for me."

  He added: "The city is wonderful. People welcomed me phenomenally, both inside and outside the club. The teammates, the coach, the fans, everything is really high-level. You can see that Milan is a great historic club, one of the biggest in the world. You can feel it at every step, so I'm really happy and I'm enjoying all of this."

Thierry Henry says the USMNT benefits when its players test themselves in Europe, but he also cautioned against using national-team selections as the sole measure of Major League Soccer’s growth. The French legend believes overseas experience helps American players – even as MLS continues to play an important role in their development.

Getty Images SportEuropean experience broadens player development

Henry stressed he views international club experience as a positive factor that contributes to both personal growth and team cohesion.

“I don't know if it's a progress or not, about, you know, the MLS or not,” Henry said on . “I've seen American players coming and playing in leagues before. On a personal point of view, and I will go back to that, I think it's always going to be a plus when you go abroad to find out what type of player you are, learn another style of play.

“So that means when you come back, and you play against those guys, or you talk to the guys that never left, you say, ‘Oh, in Italy it is like this,’ or, ‘In England it is like this,’ or, ‘In Spain it is like that.’ And you come back and you learn as a player yourself. So I see it as a positive thing. Wherever you go, you still, you're still French at the end of the day and play, and play your own way." 

AdvertisementHenry believes MLS progress is multifaceted

While Henry acknowledged the value of European experience, he cautioned against reducing MLS’s development to the number of players called into the national team. He noted that MLS is a complex environment with its own challenges and dynamics that deserve deeper evaluation. Still, he made clear he would encourage players to test themselves abroad.

“To go back to the national team, yes, it is very important, I do think for the U.S. to have American players playing abroad so they can bring the experience,” Henry said. 

GettyNational team success depends on development strategies

Henry stressed that the true indicator of progress lies in the national team’s overall performance and development rather than the professional leagues where players compete. 

“Okay, so now let's go back to the national team. If we go back to the national team, I do think that regardless of what it is, don't judge whoever is playing where and being starters or not on what the game is doing there,” Henry explained. “Judge what the national team is doing and how they're going about it. So what are you doing also with grassroots? Are you talking to the MLS? Are you end-to-end with it?

“Are you trying to develop players in the neighborhoods of the country? And yes, it is important to have players in Europe. Yes. But that doesn't mean you're gonna have a better national team.”

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for U.S. soccer

The U.S. just announced a new friendly against Senegal in Charlotte, which will be played on May 31. 

The Buss family reportedly is entering an agreement to sell the majority share of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter at a valuation at approximately $10 billion, Shams Charania reported on Wednesday. This marks the largest sale of a sports franchise in American history, and a sale that values the team at nearly $4 billion more than any other American sports team.

Though Jeanie Buss will remain the Lakers' governor and run the team for several years, the future of the Lakers lies in Walter's hands.

So, who is Mark Walter? Here is what to know about the new Lakers owner.

How Mark Walter Acquired the Team

Walter initially purchased a minority share of the Lakers in 2021, buying Phil Anschutz's 26% stake, per Ramona Shelburne. With this stake, Walter was also granted the first right of refusal if the Buss family were to sell their 66% stake in the franchise, helping put him in position to eventually purchase the majority stake in the Lakers. About four years later, Walter is now taking majority ownership of the franchise.

The Background and Wealth of Mark Walter

Walter was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, spending his childhood in the Midwest and as a fan of the Chicago Cubs. He would remain in the Midwest through college, going on to get his Bachelor's degree in business at Creighton University and then earn a law degree at Northwestern University in 1985.

After graduating from law school, Walter worked at a law firm and then for First Chicago Capital Markets, but eventually left to become a co-founder of the Liberty Hampshire Company, an investment management and personal financing company.

During that time, Walter met J. Todd Morley, who introduced him to Peter Lawson-Johnston II, a descendant of the Guggenheim family. The three would go on to start Guggenheim Partners, which now has more than an estimated $330 billion of assets under their management. The Guggenheim Partners later found diversified holding company TWG Global, which Walter owns a 21% stake in and is the CEO of.

Walter has kept private and is known for being lowkey, but an insider with knowledge of the businesses told in 2012 that Walter is "one of the great financial minds of our time."

What Is Mark Walter's Net Worth?

There are varying estimates of Mark Walter's net worth. Forbes listed Walter's net worth this year at $6.1 billion, while Bloomberg has his net worth estimate at more than double that figure at $12.5 billion.

Full Portfolio of Mark Walter's Sports Ownership

Along with his portfolio in finance and business, Mark Walter has invested greatly in professional sports. Walter is most well-known as the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, leading Guggenheim Baseball Management to purchase the team for a then-record $2.15 billion in 2012. Walter owns 27% of the team, and has mostly taken a hands-off approach to his ownership. Since 2013, the Dodgers have made the postseason in every season, won two World Series, and accrued many big-name talents including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman.

Outside of baseball, Walter has made great investment into women's sports. He owns a sixth of the Los Angeles Sparks as part of the team's six-person ownership group. He is also the owner of the Professional Women's Hockey League, and the winning team each year receives a trophy named after him, the Walter Cup.

Beyond these sporting investments, Walter additionally holds ownership stakes in Chelsea FC and the Cadillac Formula 1 team.

The pitch was difficult for batting once again but Bangladesh’s openers overcame the challenge to help win the series decider

Mohammad Isam24-Oct-2025A failing batting line-up and a long run of poor results in ODIs prompted Bangladesh to throw up their version of the Hail Mary this series: a dark, cracked pitch in Mirpur, where the ball spins, spits and makes run-scoring difficult. The highest total in the first two matches was only 213, and Bangladesh and West Indies set a new world record by bowling 92 overs of spin in the second ODI.So when Saif Hassan and Soumya Sarkar walked out to open the innings in the series decider, the focus was on how they would cope with the surface. Bangladesh hadn’t won an ODI series for 18 months, which is a bad place for a team targeting direct qualification to the 2027 World Cup.It was the batting that had consistently let Bangladesh down, so the pressure was on once again. But over the next 25 overs, Saif and Soumya gave their team hope.They added 176 runs in 25.2 overs for the first wicket; Saif scoring 80 off 72 balls and Soumya 91 off 86. Their attacking approach was in contrast to the struggle of batters in the previous two games, and none of the batters that came after them from either side managed to emulate their success.The partnership helped Bangladesh score 296 for 8, a total that was 179 runs too many for West Indies. Daren Sammy, the West Indies coach, praised the mentality Saif and Soumya had shown in such conditions.Related

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“I think it’s a mindset,” Sammy said after the game. “You know, for us, when we explain in the dressing room what this game means, you know, we’re looking for automatic qualification [for the World Cup]. We have got two teams fighting for that last spot before the cut-off period, and then you have a series decider on the line. Your mindset must be I’m the one to do that. You saw the mindset of the [Bangladesh] batters.”They were like, ‘You know what? I’m gonna be brave on that wicket, I’m gonna set the tone’. The score didn’t reflect what the wicket was. The batsmen came in, decided to be brave in the powerplay, and that put us under pressure. And then we, we just took so long to answer. We were not consistent enough in the areas that would challenge the batters and then we paid heavily for it.”Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz said the Saif-Soumya partnership was a long time coming. “The start is very important for a team. We haven’t had such a partnership from the top order for a long time. The team mentality changes when you get such a start from the top order.”We have to give credit to Saif and Soumya for the way they batted today. They batted aggressively on this wicket, which made it easy for the rest of the team.”Mehidy said he liked how Soumya and Saif went for their favoured shots whenever presented with the opportunity. “It feels good. We have been struggling with our batting for a long time. We however believed that we could make a comeback any time. We have to give them some time.”This wasn’t an easy wicket but they played their go-to shots. Soumya Sarkar played reverse sweeps against their spinners. Saif Hassan attacked their right-handed bowlers. They played with calculative risks.”A batter will do well in three out of five innings. The team will benefit if those three knocks are substantial. It becomes difficult if the batter falls in the thirties after getting set. We have to be more patient with these batters. A good top-order partnership usually helps the batting line-up.”For now, the Saif-Soumya stand is a one-off event. It was Bangladesh’s first 100-plus opening stand in two years. After their dismissals, the rest struggled to maintain the tempo. But Saif and Soumya provided an example of how a bit of courage can overcome the most difficult of batting conditions.

It’s never easy being manager of Tottenham Hotspur, is it? Just ask Ange Postecoglou.

The Aussie won an elusive European trophy for Spurs but after a dismal domestic campaign where the Lilywhites finished 17th, he was given his marching orders.

League proceedings threatened to get better during the early stages of Thomas Frank’s reign. Spurs were more organised and looked compact at the back.

How quickly things change. Last weekend, Frank’s side ended a run of five straight games in all competitions without winning by defeating Brentford. They won again in the Champions League in midweek but were brought back down to earth when they visited Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Spurs were pulled this way and that by Postecoglou’s former employers. With Sean Dyche now at the helm, he more than got the better of Frank who saw his side slip to a dire 3-0 loss.

What went wrong for Spurs at Forest

During the first few weeks of the new regime at Spurs, they looked far better at the back but that solidity appears to have alluded them in recent weeks. They have kept just two Premier League clean sheets in their last eight games to really hammer home the pressure on Frank.

At the City Ground, things didn’t get much better and they had Guglielmo Vicario to blame.

The Italian has made a number of crucial interventions in Spurs colours this season but arguably turned in one of his worst performances for the club in Nottingham at the weekend.

For the opener, Vicario played a very sketchy ball into the path of Archie Gray who was under pressure. He was ultimately caught in possession and Forest ended up finding the net.

Then, for the second, Hudson Odoi appeared to aim a cross into the area but it ended up goalbound and soared over Vicario whose positioning was all wrong.

While the goalkeeper did not help matters, even when Spurs had the ball in the final third they did not do an awful lot with it.

Striker Richarlison managed just two shots, none of which were on target. He also completed a dismal two passes during the game.

As for Mohammed Kudus, he could only carve out one key pass and didn’t manage a shot on target either.

Truth be told, Frank looks out of his depth. His tactics are limited and it may well be time for a change in the dugout.

The man to replace Thomas Frank at Spurs

The Dane may well have only been in charge since the summer but it’s time for a replacement. Frank did a wonderful job at Brentford but for a club that wants to be challenging for honours, they need someone progressive, someone with a better style of football.

Manager Focus

Enter Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola. Daniel Levy allegedly interviewed the Spaniard at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, as per TalkSPORT, who confirmed a few weeks ago that he has his sights set on a move up the Premier League, although with the caveat that he wants to see out the season.

Well, if Spurs play their cards right, that time could be now. Hailed as “the best coach in the Premier League” by European football expert James Horncastle for his exploits on the South Coast, the Cherries manager looks ready to be an elite name in the sport.

Since taking over at Bournemouth, he has turned them into a top-half club. They finished ninth in the table last season, just nine points off a European spot.

It was a brilliant accomplishment for such a small club, but like Iraola, they are growing in stature with the Basque-born coach in charge.

Frank has been accused of playing rather boring football since moving to Spurs. It’s the opposite of Postecoglou’s reign. That’s a positive for sure, yet there also has to be a level of ambition to their play. That’s where Iraola could come in.

Bournemouth writer, Sam Davis, once noted that ‘we were told that we would see “rock and roll” football and “organised chaos” when the new boss joined the ranks at Vitality Stadium – they weren’t kidding!’

On that evidence, he could well be the perfect hybrid between Ange and Frank. Structure and organisation to the defence but crucially, a desire and ambition to attack and play free-flowing football.

Spurs must look away from Frank and roll their dice on Iraola; it could be a match made in heaven.

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Manchester United are now on red alert in the race to sign a Real Madrid star ahead of Manchester City in a shock £69m deal next year.

Amorim "angry" at "frustrating" West Ham draw

Like the rest of Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim was left angered by Man United’s 1-1 draw against West Ham. The Red Devils were in control for the large part and deservedly got their opener through unlikely goalscorer Diogo Dalot in the second-half, but that’s when things started going wrong.

With seven minutes remaining, the visitors sent a timely reminder of United’s struggles courtesy of Soungoutou Magassa, who scored his first Premier League goal to snatch a point for West Ham.

Amorim, left frustrated at full-time, told reporters: “Yeah, it’s frustrating, it’s angry. That’s it.”

The former Sporting CP manager also pinpointed where things went wrong, saying: “Yeah, but there are second halves that we lose control of the game.

“Today, I think it was not that case. Maybe after the first goal, we lost some second balls and Matheus [Cunha] won one or two second balls there and made it a transition.

“We try to defend all the time far from the goal because we knew it. They tried to make a cross, win a corner. Like it happened, long ball, they win a second ball against three guys of us in the defence. So, we need to be better in the second half.”

Any assumption that United have turned a corner under Amorim is quickly evaporating and the Old Trafford boss desperately needs further reinforcements in 2026.

Midfield stars such as Conor Gallagher and Elliot Anderson have already been mooted, but United could still set their focus on welcoming Rodrygo from Real Madrid. The Brazilian is attracting plenty of interest and could yet swap the Bernabeu for the Premier League.

Man Utd on red alert in Rodrygo race

According to reports in Spain, Man United are now on red alert in the race to sign Rodrygo next year and could land the talented winger ahead of rivals Man City, as well as a number of other Premier League sides.

The Brazilian has struggled for game time under Xabi Alonso – starting just three La Liga games all season – and looks destined to leave Real Madrid next year.

Sparking a flurry of interest, Madrid reportedly value their winger at around €80m (£69m). Whether INEOS and others deem that fee reachable for a player who’s yet to impress Alonso remains to be seen, however.

Man Utd now rivalling Liverpool to sign £87m forward who Klopp loves

The Red Devils have joined the race for a new attacker, who has made an impressive start to the campaign.

ByDominic Lund Dec 5, 2025

At his best, Rodrygo played a key part in Madrid’s success in the Champions League and in La Liga. Now, he’s been cast aside to hand United the opportunity to land arguably their best signing yet under Amorim.

Dubbed “spectacular” by former Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti in 2023, Rodrygo is still just 24 years old and is full of potential – even if he’s forced to realise it with a move to Old Trafford in 2026.

Amorim's £150k-p/w star just had his worst game for Man Utd vs West Ham

Manchester United’s midfield pivot has been something that Ruben Amorim has seemingly found a formula he likes. The Portuguese manager has caused lots of debate with his infamous 3-4-2-1, with the wing-backs being one thing to spark such conversation.

However, the makeup of his pivot has been interesting to see, too. This season, it seems as though the former Sporting boss has landed on captain Bruno Fernandes and the experienced Casemiro as his ideal duo in midfield.

It is a new role for Fernandes, who has played most of his career as a number ten.

As for Casemiro, he has done well this season. Yet, against Crystal Palace at the weekend, he looked exposed at times.

Why Casemiro can struggle in the pivot

Brazil legend Casemiro has certainly adapted well to playing in Amorim’s system.

Not too long ago, he was told to “leave the football before the football leaves you” by Jamie Carragher. Now, he is a regular starter for United at almost 34 years of age.

Indeed, Amorim has put a lot of trust in the former Real Madrid star this season. He’s played in 12 Premier League games, missing one due to a suspension.

Since the middle of September, he’s started every game in the league he’s been available for, and has even scored three times.

However, there are struggles that the United number 18 can experience in midfield.

Physically, Casemiro is a little behind the eight ball at times and can get exposed, often being left in the dust and opposition midfielders coasting past him.

Coming up against the Eagles last Sunday, it was an issue in the first half for the 82-cap Brazil international. As Goal journalist Calum Preston Kelly pointed out, he “struggled to prevent Palace dictating play in the first half.”

The energetic duo of Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada found it all too easy and were able to breeze past him countless times, having looked “haunted” up against the Englishman, in particular.

Perhaps this is an issue Amorim would like to nip in the bud before long. It might well make a change of personnel in the pivot to have a true impact.

United’s ready-made Casemiro alternative

There are options if Amorim wants to switch things up in midfield.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Mason Mount briefly played next to Bruno Fernandes away to Fulham at the start of the season, and Manuel Ugarte is another player who could slot into the side.

Yet, the obvious answer is Kobbie Mainoo. Amorim continues to ignore his obvious talent, despite being called a “future £100m+ footballer” by Alex Turk and starting in the final of Euro 2024 just 18 months ago.

It has been a tough campaign for the Stockport-born midfielder. He’s only played nine times in the Premier League, and is yet to start a game.

He’s featured for just 171 minutes, averaging 20 per game that he has played in.

Let’s not forget, though, the skill Mainoo possesses. He is a master in small spaces, able to break the press with his carrying ability and drive forward.

He’s also intelligent off the ball and is a strong dueller. Those were all on show on his Premier League debut against Everton, where he had 61 touches and won five duels.

The skills Mainoo could bring to United’s pivot would surely only benefit Amorim’s side. He is more physically up to speed than Casemiro and is less likely to get outrun.

On top of that, he brings different qualities on the ball which could add a new dynamic to midfield.

Plus, he still has an eye for goal like his fellow midfielder.

Mainoo has seven goals in a United shirt, with the most important one coming in the 2023/24 FA Cup final, which turned out to be the winner against Manchester City.

Mainoo has to get his chance in the United midfield soon enough. Their number 37 simply must be playing football every week, to continue on the path he was on just one year ago.

Don’t forget, he was trusted to start England’s biggest game in years.

With Casemiro’s occasional struggles out of possession, the starlet could be the Red Devils’ answer to their issues in midfield.

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عزز فريق مانشستر سيتي تقدمه أمام فولهام، بهدف ثالث، خلال مباراة الفريقين ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج” لموسم 2025-2026.

ويحل مانشستر سيتي ضيفًا على فولهام في إطار مباريات الجولة الرابعة عشر للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز للموسم الجاري.

وسجل فيل فودين الهدف الثالث لصالح مانشستر سيتي في شباك فولهام، وذلك في الدقيقة 44 من عمر المباراة.

اقرأ أيضًا | ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإنجليزي بعد هدف هالاند في مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام

الهدف جاء بعد رمية تماس وصلت الكرة إلى بيرند لينو حارس فولهام الذي أبعدها ولكنها ارتدت ووصلت إلى فودين الذي قام بضبط نفسه ثم سددها بقوة في الشباك. هدف فودين في مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام

وقلص فولهام الفارق، بتسجيل هدف عن طريق إيميل سميث رووي في الدقيقة الثانية من الوقت المحتسب بدلاً من الضائع، بعدما سدد الكرة برأسية رائعة. هدف سميث رووي في مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام

وكان مانشستر سيتي تقدم بهدف عن طريق النرويجي إيرلينج هالاند، وأحرز تيجاني ريندرز الهدف الثاني لفريق بيب جوارديولا.

Chelsea are now leading the race to sign a “superstar” Premier League player, who wants to leave his current club.

Blues back on track after Everton victory

The Blues brought a four-game winless run across all competitions to an end on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of a 2-0 victory against Everton at Stamford Bridge, with goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto securing all three points.

Enzo Maresca will no doubt be buoyed by Palmer’s return to form, with the Englishman spending the majority of the campaign on the sidelines due to a groin injury, before breaking his toe, although he is yet to fully recover.

Maresca certainly isn’t lacking options top-quality options in midfield, with Palmer featuring in an advanced role against Everton, ahead of Enzo Fernandez and Reece James at the base of midfield, while Moises Caicedo is still yet to return from a suspension.

However, signing another new midfielder is on the agenda, according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Chelsea are now leading the race to sign Kobbie Mainoo, who wants to leave Manchester United, amid a lack of game time.

A whole host of clubs are in the race for Mainoo, with the Blues now in pole position, alongside Bayern Munich, although Napoli’s interest could pose a problem.

The midfielder, who Frank Lampard is a “massive fan” of, is keen to receive consistent minutes wherever he ends up next, which means a move to the Italian club is attractive, especially given the way Scott McTominay’s career has panned out since moving to the Serie A.

"Superstar" Mainoo could be exciting signing for Chelsea

Nicky Butt has made it clear he doesn’t want United to offload the youngster, saying: “If Mainoo was playing for another Premier League club, United go and buy him for £70m or £80m,”

“Now we’re going to sell him and he’ll be a superstar elsewhere like McTominay, Elanga, Henderson – we can mention loads of them.”

However, it would be understandable if the 20-year-old were to push for a move next month, given just how sparsely he has featured this season, with the starlet still yet to start a game in the Premier League.

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When the Englishman, who is represented by the same agent as Liam Delap, has been given the opportunity, he has often impressed, particularly catching the eye with his dribbling and tackling over the past year, when compared to other midfielders.

Kobbie Mainoo’s key statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Successful take-ons

1.13 (90th percentile)

Progressive carries

1.91 (82nd percentile)

Tackles

2.77 (87th percentile)

Non-penalty goals

0.14 (79th percentile)

That said, Mainoo may find game time hard to come by at Chelsea too, considering Maresca already has Fernandez and Caicedo at his disposal, so a move to Stamford Bridge may not be ideal.

Tottenham have been handed a pitiful Dominic Solanke injury update as a new potential timeline emerges for his return to action.

Dominic Solanke's injury woes as Spurs left short up front

Solanke’s second season at Tottenham has descended into a frustrating saga of persistent ankle problems that have restricted the club-record signing to just three substitute appearances spanning a meagre 49 minutes.

The Englishman has not featured since a 12-minute cameo against Man City in August, with a recurring ankle issue that initially disrupted pre-season now transforming into an agonizing absence exceeding four months.

What Thomas Frank initially described as a small ankle issue requiring ‘minor surgery’ in late September has mysteriously evolved into one of the Premier League’s most perplexing injury situations.

Solanke underwent what was deemed a straightforward procedure in October, sparking optimism that his return was fairly imminent.

However, over two months later, the England international appears no closer to rejoining Frank’s depleted squad despite sporadic updates suggesting he was “weeks away” or “making progress” in training.

Thomas Frank confirms injured Tottenham star won't be back for a "long time"

The timeline is unclear.

ByEmilio Galantini 6 days ago

The striker’s prolonged absence triggered UEFA regulations permitting Tottenham to temporarily replace him in their Champions League squad with summer signing Mathys Tel, who was originally left out of their 22-man league phase list.

Frank admitted that he would have selected Tel had he anticipated Solanke’s extended rehab, but supporters are increasingly demanding more clarity in regard to the striker’s actual condition.

Questions revolve around why a supposedly minor procedure has morphed into such a protracted recovery.

The forward himself refused to establish a definitive return timeline during a recent interview, acknowledging his frustration whilst expressing eagerness to work under Frank.

Solanke’s unavailability has placed enormous pressure on PSG loanee Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison, who spent most of last term out injured himself, while Tel and youngsters come as inexperienced alternatives.

This has led to suggestions that Spurs could sign a new centre-forward in January, with Frank stating last week that Solanke “is not close to rejoining the squad”.

That said, he did downplay fears that the striker would be out long-term in his post-match press conference on Tuesday when responding to questions about why they replaced him with Mathys Tel in their Champions League squad.

Asked if Solanke has suffered a setback, Frank insisted: “No, it was just an opportunity to get Tel in, which is nice to have that opportunity. And we can change back if we want to do that.”

Tottenham handeda pitiful Dominic Solanke injury update

Despite those words from Frank, reliable Lilywhites insider Paul O’Keefe has suggested that the 28-year-old could be out until as far down the line as February, with Spurs handed a pretty grim estimation on his potential return.

This means that Solanke could be in line to miss crucial games against the likes of Liverpool, Sunderland, Aston Villa, West Ham, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, Man City and potentially Man United — depending on how far into February it is.

The England international finished 24/25 as Spurs’ second-top scorer with 16 goals across 45 appearances in all competitions, trailing only Brennan Johnson.

Nine of those came in the Premier League, including a brace at home to Aston Villa and a strike away to Man United at Old Trafford.

Crucially, Solanke delivered pivotal moments during Tottenham’s Europa League triumph — including a nerveless penalty in the quarter-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt and the opening goal in their semi-final victory over Bodo/Glimt.

His energy, physical presence and ability to lead the line are a sore miss for Frank, with a reliable focal point conspicuously absent this campaign.

The Lilywhites need him back for crucial fixtures both domestically and in Europe past the new year, with Kolo Muani and Richarlison tasked to undertake huge responsibility as things stand, unless Spurs decide to enter the market.