After guiding Tottenham Hotspur back into the Europa League in his debut season, Ange Postecoglou now has his sights set on an even bigger goal: securing a return to the Champions League.
The recent developments surrounding Dominic Solanke’s potential move to Tottenham could play a pivotal role in making this objective a reality. Solanke, an accomplished striker, is poised to fill the void left by Harry Kane, offering the club a much-needed attacking option.
Although Harry Kane’s legacy as a Tottenham legend and a prolific goal-scorer is unmatched, there’s growing optimism that Solanke, under Postecoglou’s guidance, can carve out his own success at the club. Solanke might not replicate Kane’s remarkable achievements, but his quality and experience in the Premier League make him a strong candidate to lead Tottenham’s attack.
His arrival signals the club’s intent to compete at the highest level, and the hope is that he can continue to find the back of the net with consistency. The potential impact of Solanke’s signing could be further amplified if Tottenham can secure another key target this summer. The club has been linked with Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey, a player who has drawn comparisons to Dele Alli, Kane’s former partner-in-crime.
Ramsey’s playing style and attributes have led to these comparisons, and there’s hope that he could form a dynamic partnership with Solanke, similar to the one Dele Alli shared with Kane during their time together at Spurs. Kane and Dele Alli’s Iconic Partnership Dele Alli’s career trajectory might have taken a dip in recent years, but when he first burst onto the scene as a teenager, he was tipped for greatness.
His early years at Tottenham were nothing short of spectacular, as he quickly established himself as one of the most exciting young talents in English football. Alongside Kane, Dele was a key figure in Mauricio Pochettino’s high-flying Spurs team in the mid to late 2010s. Dele’s ability to score stunning goals and his knack for creating chances made him a formidable force.
By his early 20s, he had already compiled an impressive highlight reel of goals, and his statistical output backed up his flair on the pitch. In 269 appearances for Tottenham, Dele racked up 67 goals and 58 assists, averaging a goal involvement every 2.15 games. His numbers were bolstered by playing alongside a striker as clinical as Kane, but their partnership was a two-way street. For instance, by the end of March 2016, Dele had already provided seven assists for Kane in his debut Premier League season.
Their chemistry on the pitch was evident, and Dele’s vision and creativity were key to Kane’s goal-scoring exploits. Before the 2020/21 season, Dele had set up 16 of Kane’s Premier League goals, surpassing the number of assists provided by Son Heung-min at the time. This partnership between Kane and Dele was a defining feature of Tottenham’s success during that period. The duo combined brilliantly, with Kane finishing off chances created by Dele’s intelligent playmaking.
The prospect of finding a player who can replicate Dele’s role alongside Solanke is an exciting one for Spurs fans, and Jacob Ramsey has been identified as a potential candidate to fill that void. Jacob Ramsey: The New Dele Alli? Tottenham’s interest in Jacob Ramsey is fueled by the belief that he could develop into a player reminiscent of Dele Alli in his prime. The club is reportedly preparing a bid of £19 million plus Giovani Lo Celso to secure the services of the Aston Villa starlet.
While it would be unfair to expect Ramsey to reach the exact same heights as Dele, there’s hope that he and Solanke could forge a partnership similar to the one that Dele shared with Kane. The comparison between Ramsey and Dele comes from Gregg Evans of The Athletic, who noted that Ramsey’s style of play is “quite similar” to how Dele Alli was in his early years at Spurs. Evans highlighted Ramsey’s ability to make well-timed runs into the box and his comfort on the ball as traits that mirror Dele’s game.
Ramsey’s potential to develop into a Dele-type player is intriguing, and playing alongside a striker like Solanke could help him realize that potential. Last season, Ramsey’s underlying numbers hinted at his quality. According to FBref, he averaged 3.02 shot-creating actions, completed 0.82 successful take-ons, played 1.12 key passes, took 1.95 shots, and registered a non-penalty expected goals and assists figure of 0.34 per 90 minutes.
These stats suggest that Ramsey has the tools to become a valuable asset for Tottenham, especially if he can form a strong understanding with Solanke. Ultimately, whether Ramsey can truly emulate Dele Alli’s impact remains to be seen. The potential is there, but the only way to know for sure is to see how he performs on the pitch. However, one thing is clear: playing alongside a powerful and clinical striker like Solanke would certainly aid Ramsey’s development and increase the chances of the partnership flourishing. As Tottenham look to the future, the combination of Solanke and Ramsey could be the key to unlocking a new era of success at the club.
