Dominic Solanke undergoes ankle surgery after lingering problem | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke has undergone ankle surgery after failing to shake off a persistent problem.

The 28-year-old was left out of the travelling squad for Tuesday’s Champions League tie away to Bodo/Glimt, with head coach Thomas Frank confirming the decision on Monday.

Solanke has not featured since the 2-0 win against Manchester City on 23 August, his second Premier League appearance of the season for Spurs.

Frank revealed in his pre-match press conference that the striker’s ankle had been troubling him since pre-season and the club had now opted for a minor procedure.

“Dom has got that ankle issue that’s been bothering him for a little while, so now it’s time to make a minor surgery,” Frank said. “It’s a small procedure, so he’s not ready for tomorrow. We will have more news about timeframes after the international break, but I don’t expect it to be long.”

The decision rules Solanke out of this week’s Champions League clash in Norway and Saturday’s Premier League fixture at home to Leeds United.

Solanke first picked up the injury during Tottenham’s pre-season preparations and was sidelined for five warm-up games.

He returned for a substitute appearance in the Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain before coming off the bench against Burnley and City in the opening weeks of the campaign.

His absence leaves Spurs relying on other options at centre-forward. Richarlison has been preferred as a starter, while deadline-day signing Randal Kolo Muani provides additional cover after joining on loan from PSG.

Asked whether the surgery could have been done earlier, Frank defended the medical team’s approach.

“You can look at it two ways, but if we knew a month ago surgery was the solution, we probably would have done it then,” he explained. “No-one wants surgery. We tried to manage it the right way, and now this is the right step.”

Tottenham enter the midweek fixture fourth in the Premier League with 11 points from six matches. They are also in the Carabao Cup last 16 and began their Champions League campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Villarreal.

Solanke’s recovery timetable remains unclear, but Spurs hope to have their forward available again soon as they look to maintain momentum across three competitions.