Tottenham Hotspur have won plenty of admirers for how ambitious they’ve been in the 2026 summer window, yet one big-money buy from years back is still a source of debate among the fanbase.
Roberto De Zerbi has ushered in a much bolder approach to recruitment, going after proven, top-tier talent capable of genuinely lifting the squad. Deals for the likes of Jan Paul van Hecke, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes point to a real change in direction, while shrewd, low-cost additions such as Andy Robertson have added experience without breaking the bank. Plenty of supporters see this as a refreshing break from the way Spurs used to operate, when the club would often settle for cheaper alternatives rather than pushing the budget for genuine top-level players.
For a long time, Tottenham took stick for cutting corners on quality — picking safer, more budget-friendly options instead of paying a bit more for established names, a policy that rarely paid off in the way fans hoped.
No transfer sums up that frustration quite like Dominic Solanke’s.
When Spurs paid a club-record £65 million for the striker off the back of his standout year at Bournemouth in 2024, the expectations were sky-high. He was brought in to boost the attack and help plug the gap left by Harry Kane’s exit.
Instead, it’s turned into one of the most debated signings in the club’s recent history.
Solanke is still Tottenham’s main recognised centre-forward, but his output hasn’t done much to convince fans he’s the man to lead the line for a side with genuine title or trophy ambitions.
Last season was particularly tough — goals dried up, injuries and patchy form got in the way, and he never quite delivered the impact you’d expect from a player with that price tag. It was especially glaring during Tottenham’s rocky Premier League season, when the team badly needed a reliable goal threat. A lot of fans now feel the move just hasn’t lived up to the billing.
It’s not really about effort or attitude, which have never been in question — the doubts are more about whether he has the top-level quality to justify that kind of outlay.
With Solanke now heading into his late twenties, there are also growing questions about his long-term value. Between his age, injury issues and dip in form, many supporters aren’t convinced Tottenham would recoup much of that fee if they ever looked to sell.
That contrast with the club’s current transfer approach has only sharpened the debate.
De Zerbi’s arrival is said to have helped Spurs land players who might once have picked a bigger European club instead, a sign of the club’s growing ambition in the market. The Italian has reportedly sold several highly-rated targets on Tottenham as an exciting long-term project — something many feel was lacking before.
That shift has raised the bar, too.
Fans increasingly want to see Tottenham go after elite attacking talent who can make a real difference at the top level, rather than banking on someone riding the wave of one good season elsewhere.
Because of that, many believe landing another top-tier striker is now one of the club’s key priorities before the window shuts.
Whether Solanke can find his best form again remains to be seen — but for a lot of Spurs fans, the £65 million outlay still hasn’t delivered the impact they were promised, and the hunt for a genuine long-term No. 9 continues.
