After Tottenham Hotspur’s move to their new stadium back in April 2019, there was a real expectation from the hierarchy and supporters to reach the next level.
However, five years on, the club are still yet to win a trophy, and still yet to cement themselves as a consistent top-four finisher in the Premier League.
Last season, Ange Postecoglou’s side narrowly missed out on a Champions League place, having to settle for a Europa League spot with the Aussie desperately wanting to go one better this season.
However, after their recent 3-2 defeat to Brighton, work still needs to be done over the ongoing international break to give Spurs the best possible chance of making that progression during 2024/25.
Whilst the start of the new season hasn’t been as many would’ve hoped for, one of the club’s new additions has already made a positive start to life in North London, looking to be worth the huge investment.
Dominic Solanke’s stats at Tottenham Hotspur
After the loss of striker Harry Kane to Bayern Munich last summer, Spurs have been crying out for that central striker who can supercharge their Champions League hopes.
Owner Daniel Levy decided to splash the cash this summer, forking out £65m on Englishman Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth – a deal that broke the club’s transfer record.
The 27-year-old has wasted no time in making an immediate impact at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, registering three goals and two assists in his first eight outings in all competitions.
It appears as though he’s formed an excellent partnership with the in-form Brennan Johnson, teeing the Welshman up for his sixth consecutive goal against the Seagulls last weekend.
His subsequent form in North London has seen Solanke receive his first England call-up in seven years, with the forward hoping he can start from the off when Lee Carsley’s side face Finland on Sunday night.
However, despite his big-money transfer and recent impressive form, he still earns less than one player who failed to make a huge impact after his move to the club a couple of years ago.
The man who earned more than Solanke at Spurs
During the summer of 2022, former Spurs boss Antonio Conte aimed to strengthen his squad in an attempt to push the club further up the Premier League table.
One of the players the Italian decided to bring in was experienced wideman Ivan Perišić on a free transfer after his release from Inter Milan at the end of the 2021/22 season.
His versatility made him a great option as either an attacking midfielder, winger or even as a wing-back if the club utilised a five-back system.
However, ultimately the move was a failure, with the Croatian international making 50 appearances during his 18 months in the first-team in the capital.
For the last six months of his two-year contract, Perisic joined Hajduk Split on loan in his homeland before leaving Postecoglou’s side on a free transfer at the end of his deal.
The 35-year-old earned £180k-per-week during his time at Spurs, as per Capology, a figure two times higher than record-signing Solanke who only earns £90k-per-week.
1) Harry Kane
£200k-p/w
2) Heung-min Son
£190k-p/w
3) Ivan Perišić
£180k-p/w
4) Cristian Romero
£165k-p/w
5) Clement Lenglet
£145k-p/w
When combining his total earnings during his time at the club, Perisic pocketed a total of £14.3m in wages alone – an extortionate amount given his lack of impact at N17.
There’s no denying at the time he seemed like a solid piece of business given his experience in Europe’s top five leagues, but unfortunately for both parties, the deal failed to take off, like Conte and co anticipated.
His huge earnings will undoubtedly be a stark reminder for the club to spend the money wisely to prevent a similar scenario from reoccurring later down the line.
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