Dominic Solanke’s record £65million move to Tottenham received Harry Kane’s full seal of approval.
The England skipper’s £100m departure to Bayern Munich 14 months ago left a huge hole in attack at his beloved Spurs. That was finally filled with the capture of Solanke from Bournemouth in August and, despite a slow start to his new career, he is now delivering the goods - with two goals in his last couple of outings.
Ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Manchester United this Sunday, the in-form Spurs hitman revealed how Kane gave him a message of support - in person - on the day his summer arrival was confirmed.
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Solanke, who smashed 21 league goals for Bournemouth last term, said: “I actually saw him when Bayern came here during pre-season. Harry came into our changing room and we spoke.
“We had a few words and he had only good things to say about the club. It was probably just what you expect. He spoke so highly about Spurs and about how good the players and staff are."
As for coping with the hefty expectations that come with a hefty price-tag, Solanke insists they are inevitable - but that the critics writing him off only a few weeks into the new season were a tad hasty.
Especially, if you consider he was out injured with an ankle problem for league games against Everton and Newcastle. Solanke, 27, went on: “Yeah, that was probably premature after a few games and given the start to the season I had.
"No matter how much you get bought for, what club you play for, there’s always going to be pressure in football. So it’s something we have to deal with, something we all know is part of the game."
Attempting to emulate the record-breaking feats of Kane, who is Tottenham’s all-time greatest scorer with 280 goals - is not part of Solanke’s focus or motivation in N17.
The ex-Chelsea and Liverpool forward went on: “No, not really. Harry is who he is. I don’t think anyone would want to see him replaced anyway. He’s a world-class striker. I’m here and want to score as many goals as I can and, hopefully, we win some trophies.”
That, of course, is something Kane never managed during more than a decade leading the Spurs line. A decent result at Old Trafford this weekend would certainly be another boost to the morale of Ange Postecoglou’s squad as they aim for a third successive win in all competitions.
Solanke added: “Everyone knows how big a club United are, so it’s going to be tough. But we are not scared of anyone. We will go there and be on the front foot.”
With the next England squad to be named in a fortnight, Solanke, whose only senior appearance came seven years ago against Brazil, would love another call. He said: “If you're doing your stuff for a club like Tottenham, it's definitely a lot easier to get into the fold. Tottenham is my main aim - to score and win stuff here - then hopefully get into the England team.