Teddy Sheringham is worried that £65m striker Dominic Solanke is not the ‘final piece’ in the Tottenham jigsaw ahead of the showdown against Arsenal.
Spurs spent big money to sign Solanke from AFC Bournemouth this summer, but the Englishman has only played in one fixture so far after suffering an ankle injury.
He featured for 90 minutes in their opening Premier League match of the season – a 1-1 draw at promoted side Leicester City – and then missed the next two games.
It’s currently unclear if Solanke will be fit to face Arsenal, although given he was close to being involved against Newcastle, it is thought he may return on Sunday.
That’s when Tottenham host Arsenal in the latest north London derby, but former Spurs striker Sheringham is worried Solanke might not be the right man after all.
‘I like Dominic Solanke [but] I don’t know whether he’s the final piece,’ Sheringham told Ladbrokes.
‘Being that number nine in and around the six-yard box who is going to tap in loads this season… Only time will tell on that front.
‘But I like the fact that they’ve gone out and bought a big centre-forward to come in and score goals; they’ve obviously identified that that’s where the problem was.
‘It’s just a shame that he’s missed out on the last two games. He missed a couple of chances against Leicester.
‘And I’m sure he’d have been on the end of one or two against Everton, and then you’re off and running and your confidence is high.
‘At the moment, he hasn’t scored for the club, and the team have lost a couple of points already, which means there’s already pressure on him to come in and start scoring.
‘I really hope he gets off and running quickly, because that relaxes you, your teammates, and your fans.
‘I’m glad they’ve filled that position, though, and I’m really optimistic for Solanke.’