TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SIGN ATTACKING MIDFIELDER MANOR SOLOMON
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club have signed Israeli international Manor Solomon on a free transfer, the club announced on Tuesday.
Tottenham reached a verbal agreement with the 23-year-old midfielder two weekends prior and had medical tests completed last week. Solomon signs with the Lilywhites on a long-term five-year deal, subject to international clearance and work permit. The undisclosed deal is an improved figure on his salary with Fulham last season and thus maintains Solomon as the top-paid Israeli footballer. The deal keeps him in North London until June 30th, 2028.
The 5-foot-7 player made a name for himself in his native Israel in the city of Petah Tikva with Maccabi Petah Tikva Football Club, just over 10 kilometers from the Israel capital, Tel Aviv. Solomon made his debut for the club at just 17 years old and went on to score 10 goals across 83 total appearances for the club before moving on to Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk in January, 2019.
While at Donetsk, Solomon registered a total of 22 goals and provided 9 assists in four years before moving on to Fulham on loan last season. The three-time Ukrainian Premier League champion exploded onto the scene with the Cottagers, scoring four goals in 19 league games and made major contributions to Fulham’s stellar season. The West London club went on to finish 10th in the standings and avoided relegation in its first year back in the league.
“I’m really excited to be here,” said Solomon. “To come to a big club like Tottenham, it’s a dream come true for me and I can’t wait to get started. First of all, it was a dream come true for me when I joined the Premier League one year ago and it’s a dream come true for me now when I’m joining this great football club.”
“I see the players. I see the club and I see what’s going on here really, [with] the training ground, the stadium, everything is really at the highest level. I think every football player dreams to play for a club like Tottenham.”
A sharp dribbler with a unique pass picking skill set, Solomon is expected to fit seamlessly into new club manager Ange Postecoglou’s attacking style of play. Likely to feature for Spurs on the right side of the pitch in rotation with Dejan Kulusevski, the Kfar Saba-born player has a knack of breaking down fullbacks with his quick ball control, dribbling ability, and runs in-behind. An intelligent player who can also play the attacking midfielder role, Solomon also has the ability to link up with teammates around him in midfield and open defenses with passes in behind.
Solomon revealed that he had a conversation with new team manager Ange Postecoglou and understood the type of football the Australian wants to implement at the club. “He wants to see attacking football, to see pressure, to have the ball, to play attacking football that will entertain our fans and will bring points. I think they will be happy to watch the team. The team they love.”
Upon the announcement of his signing with the club, Solomon said via social media, “I am delighted and excited to be joining this fantastic football club. It’s truly an honor to be here and I can’t wait to get started. To dare is to do!”
The versatile midfielder has already earned an impressive 35 total caps for his country, netting 7 times for The Blues and Whites. Doubling up as an integral piece of the puzzle on a football pitch both on the wings and in midfield, Solomon has great upside and could be one of the most exciting players in the Premier League under Postecoglou.
The 57-year-old manager has a knack for rapidly sharpening the skillsets of some of his best players, and most notably did so last year at Celtic with Japanese international Kyogo Furuhashi. Furuhashi put up 34 goals and five assists in 50 appearances for the Celts compared to just 20 in 2021/22. Although Solomon isn’t expected to get anywhere close to Furuhashi’s figures in goals, the young Israeli international is expected to improve on his five-goal tally last season and be an immediate contributor to the team in assists and chance creation.
Solomon is now Tottenham’s fourth signing of the summer, coming in just over a week after the club acquired midfielder James Maddison from Leicester City, goalkeeper Gugliemo Vicario from Empoli and winger Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus. With the club choosing to take care of its business earlier in the summer, it could be all lights go for Spurs this season, especially with the continuing likelihood of the club keeping all-world striker Harry Kane.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: Niv Ahronson. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.