Dominic Solanke’s Return to Vitality Stadium

When Tottenham visits Bournemouth on Thursday, an “old versus new” narrative will be prominent if Dominic Solanke plays against his former club. The striker is anticipated to receive a warm welcome at Vitality Stadium, having spent five and a half years with the Cherries and been a key player in their promotion from the Championship in the 2021-22 season. Supporters still express frustration that Solanke’s 20-goal season at Bournemouth was insufficient to secure him a place in the England squad for Euro 2024, yet a modest initial month at Spurs immediately resulted in an international recall. However, the £65m transfer was considered a beneficial deal for the Cherries and likely occurred at an opportune moment in his career. Meanwhile, Evanilson, his replacement at Bournemouth, appears to be winning over doubters following his £40m move from Porto. While Justin Kluivert’s hat-trick of penalties in the 4-2 victory at Wolves garnered significant attention, Evanilson also made history as the first player to be fouled for three spot-kicks in a single Premier League game. Regardless of whether drawing a penalty should count as a fantasy league “assist,” Evanilson has achieved this feat five times already this season, in an era where VAR scrutinizes such awards meticulously. It was not long ago that Bournemouth endured a 609-day period without being awarded a penalty (including the entire 2022-23 season and Gary O’Neil’s complete tenure as head coach). Therefore, Evanilson’s capacity to draw clumsy challenges, as he did from the Wolves defenders and goalkeeper at Molineux, seems well-suited to boss Andoni Iraola’s high-energy, high-pressing tactical approach. With Spurs adopting a not dissimilar high-risk, high-reward style under Ange Postecoglou, Thursday’s match has the potential to be a highly engaging contest.