Dominic Solanke’s England call-up is a classic case of being in the right place at the right time – and the same applied to interim manager Lee Carsley when he conducted a scouting mission on Tottenham’s striker at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Solanke’s late development, which kicked into full gear at Bournemouth last season and led to a £65m summer move to Spurs, has seen him called into England’s squad for the first time since winning his only full cap as a 15-minute substitute in a goalless draw against Brazil at Wembley in November 2017.
It is also deserved reward for the sheer persistence of a player tipped for great things from when he was part of the England Under-17 team that won the European Championship in 2014, scoring in the final against the Netherlands in a game eventually won 4-1 on penalties.
Solanke only played one game for Chelsea and a move to Liverpool in July 2017 did not work out as he scored only once 27 games, his opportunities limited by being behind the world-class trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in then manager Jurgen Klopp’s pecking order.
He moved to Bournemouth for £19m in January 2019 and it was there that Solanke finally started to fulfil his potential, scoring 77 goals in 216 games, including 21 in 42 appearances last season.
Former Liverpool manager Klopp remained an admirer, however, saying before his side travelled to Bournemouth in January: “I’m so happy for Dom because when we signed him we were all so excited about the talent he had.
“He had so much potential, but it is Liverpool and we had other good strikers as well.
“Dom was probably not the most clinical yet, but the talent was obvious.”
The switch to Spurs has given the 27-year-old a bigger stage to showcase his qualities, but it was his display under the watchful gaze of Carsley in the 3-0 win at Manchester United that sealed his England inclusion.
Solanke did not just score Spurs’ third goal. He also gave a complete all-round display of the main striker’s art at a time when Carsley needs someone in that position.
Ivan Toney, who played at Euro 2024, has since decided to pursue his career in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ahli and is out of the England squad for now.
The statistics show how Solanke combined tireless running and work with potency against United, the central figure around which players such as Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski revolved to such great effect.