Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank revealed that he didn’t expect to be without Dominic Solanke for “long” despite the striker being forced to undergo surgery.
Solanke is yet to start a game under Frank, amassing just 49 combined minutes across three substitute appearances this season before it became apparent that a nagging ankle injury made him entirely unavailable for selection from the end of August onwards.
Speaking to assembled media ahead of Tottenham’s Champions League clash with Norwegian outfit Bodø/Glimt on Tuesday evening, Frank revealed that the club’s first-choice striker had not responded to non-evasive therapy.
“We decided to make a minor surgery,” the Dane noted. “It’s a small procedure. So that will mean he’s not ready for today [Tuesday], of course. And of course, Leeds he’s out as well. We will have more news about time frame after the international break. But I don’t expect it to be long.”
Spurs take on newly promoted Leeds United on Saturday lunchtime before returning from October’s club hiatus with a visit from Aston Villa on Oct. 19.
Richarlison has performed admirably in Solanke’s absence, racking up three Premier League goals in just six appearances. Less than two months into the new campaign, the Brazilian World Cup hopeful is already one goal away from matching his final tally from the entirety of last season. However, questions have been raised as to how Spurs find themselves relying upon just one striker with a patchy injury record of his own.
Frank Defends Tottenham’s Medical Department
Frank was bluntly asked in his prematch press conference whether Spurs had wasted a month by not sending Solanke to surgery as soon as the issue emerged. “It’s not that easy,” the Tottenham coach shot back.
“If we knew we could have done the surgery a month ago, we probably would have done it. So for me, I’m always like I imagine, ‘oh, it is what it is, we deal from now.’
“No doubt that the way we dealt with this was because we thought that was the right way because I think in general, no one wants a surgery, no matter how small it is.”
Fellow striker Randal Kolo Muani is still struggling with a dead leg while club captain Cristian Romero was not part of the travelling squad in what Frank described as a “precaution.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dominic Solanke: Thomas Frank Reveals Injury Timeline After Surgery.
