Solanke's first months at Spurs have been deeply frustrating. The England forward has played only three brief substitute appearances since joining, featuring in August's Super Cup and in early league matches against Burnley and Manchester City. His ankle injury worsened soon after, and he underwent minor surgery on 1 October.

Despite early optimism from Thomas Frank, who had hinted that Solanke could return after the November international break, the forward's recovery has stalled. This week, the situation became clearer, and far more concerning.

Mathys Tel has replaced Solanke in Tottenham's Champions League squad, with Frank explaining that the change was driven by UEFA regulations. Frank has said the decision did not mean Solanke suffered a fresh setback, but the picture grew darker after a significant update from respected Tottenham insider Paul O'Keefe.

O'Keefe wrote on X: "Think he's done for the year and probably January into Feb."

That estimate would rule Solanke out for at least another eight weeks, raising fresh questions about the club's medical approach. Spurs' medical team have faced criticism in recent seasons, and there is frustration among supporters that Solanke played in August instead of undergoing surgery earlier.

If Solanke's absence stretches into February, he will miss a crucial run of Premier League fixtures, Champions League knockout ties, and the FA Cup's early rounds in January 2026. It also leaves Frank with limited options in the final third.

Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani now carry the main attacking burden, while Tel offers support from the left. Should Solanke's timeline slip further, Tottenham may be forced to consider signing another striker when the winter window opens, a development few expected when they broke their transfer record to bring him in for a fee worth tens of millions of pounds.

Viv Anderson sees Raheem Sterling as Arsenal's game-changer in title race