“Look, am an Arsenal fans, but i must say the truth’- Ian Wright Blast his club Arsenal for failing to ‘HIJACK’ arguably the best transfer deal of the season from Tottenham
Ian Wright has strongly suggested that Arsenal may have missed a crucial opportunity by not competing with Tottenham Hotspur for Dominic Solanke, positing that the former Bournemouth striker could emerge as one of the most significant signings of this summer’s transfer window.
Tottenham, under the guidance of Ange Postecoglou, has made substantial progress. In his inaugural season, Postecoglou led Spurs to a fifth-place finish in the Premier League, an impressive achievement given the departure of their talismanic striker, Harry Kane. Kane’s move to Bayern Munich, for a club-record £100 million, was a significant blow. However, Tottenham adapted to this loss by repositioning Son Heung-min centrally, although it soon became evident that Son’s most effective role remains on the left flank.
While Richarlison, another key forward for Spurs, showed some improvement over the previous season, his performance was still below expectations. With only 15 goals in 66 appearances for Tottenham, there was a consensus that the club needed to bolster their attacking options. Consequently, Postecoglou and his team explored various potential signings, including Jonathan David, Santiago Gimenez, and Ivan Toney, before settling on Solanke. Tottenham triggered the £65 million release clause in Solanke’s contract, securing his transfer from Bournemouth and bringing him to North London.
Despite this significant acquisition, speculation persists that Postecoglou might still seek to enhance his squad further, potentially bringing in another forward to create a dynamic new attacking setup.
Solanke will face high expectations to perform immediately. His impressive tally of 21 goals in 42 appearances last season was only surpassed by Chelsea’s Cole Palmer among English players. Both Tottenham and Solanke are optimistic that his move will be a resounding success.
Former Arsenal star Ian Wright has voiced his disappointment that Arsenal did not make a move for Solanke, particularly as the Gunners are also in the market for a new striker following their decision to place Eddie Nketiah on the transfer list. Reviewing Arsenal’s summer transfer activities, Wright shared his perspective during an interview with The Overlap.
“I’m really pleased with how pre-season has gone and the addition of Riccardo Calafiori,” Wright commented. “Arsenal does have other plans in the works; they need to make decisive moves. To compete effectively, they need to secure over 90 points.”
When asked by Gary Neville if he was surprised by Arsenal’s failure to pursue Solanke, Wright replied, “I wouldn’t have been too surprised if Arsenal had targeted Solanke. With Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli, they might be able to generate the goals they need if they return to their best form. They’re certainly better than they showed last season.”
Wright is confident that Solanke could be a transformative signing for Tottenham, suggesting that he might end up being one of the standout acquisitions of the season. “Dominic Solanke could indeed turn out to be the signing of the season at £65 million,” Wright predicted. “I’m impressed with the move and the way he plays. If he avoids injuries, I believe he will score plenty of goals for Spurs.”
Solanke, who earned a single cap for England in 2017, joins Tottenham as their fourth signing of the summer, following Yang Min-hyuk, Lucas Bergvall, and Archie Gray. Expressing his enthusiasm about joining the club, Solanke stated, “It’s a magnificent club with ambitions that align with mine. I’m thrilled to start, meet my new teammates, and get going. What excites me most is the club’s ambition, the quality of the manager and the players, and how well Spurs will suit my playing style.”
Meanwhile, there is uncertainty surrounding Arsenal’s plans to sign a new striker. Some observers believe that the form of Kai Havertz—a £65 million signing from Chelsea last summer—might lead Mikel Arteta to consider utilizing him in a more central role this season. Journalist Steve Kay discussed this on KS1 TV, saying, “I’m confident Arsenal will make a few more signings before the window closes, but their strategy has shifted. Their initial plans for the summer were altered by Kai Havertz’s unexpected performances and goal-scoring abilities, which Mikel Arteta did not anticipate.”
Havertz had a solid debut season at Arsenal, scoring 14 goals and providing seven assists in 51 appearances across all competitions. This performance may influence Arteta’s approach as he continues to shape his squad for the upcoming season.