Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are likely to be busy in the summer transfer window as they look to improve ahead of next season.
The Blues and Spurs both managed to salvage something from their respective campaigns, but they’ll want to do much better next season.
Chelsea were in mid-table for much of the campaign before rallying round to finish sixth in the table and qualify for the Europa Conference League.
Meanwhile, Spurs held on to fifth spot on the final day of the season to get into the Europa League, but they were in the Champions League running prior to May.
Both Chelsea and Tottenham have been linked with reinforcements up front over the past few weeks.
And in recent days, speculation has emerged claiming the Blues and Spurs want Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke.
According to talkSPORT, Chelsea and Tottenham are keen on Solanke, who reportedly has a £65million release clause only available to the Premier League’s ‘big six’.
Now, talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino has given his verdict on Solanke and his reported suitors.
What has Tony Cascarino said about Chelsea and Tottenham target Dominic Solanke?
“I would probably, I am showing my bias here, probably slightly Chelsea,” Cascarino said on talkSPORT (8/6/2024, 7:43am).
“I am not sure a club will pay £65million for Dominic Solanke.
“He had a terrific season. You have had an outstanding season. There’s a much bigger picture there.
“If you look over his career in total, then Dominic has improved, he got goals in the Championship, he didn’t really in his younger days he didn’t really make it at Liverpool, they let him go, they didn’t think he was good enough.
“I still think it’s a lot of money for someone that if he had gone in and had two, three seasons scoring at huge amounts, like Ollie Watkins has got goals regularly year by year, increase regularly.
“I don’t know if we just saw a standout season by Solanke there. Not saying he is not a really good player because he has improved a hell of a lot and fair play to him for that.
“Would I want want to pay £65million? I am not sure Spurs or Chelsea would want to go that deep.”
Chelsea and Tottenham could be put off by Dominic Solanke release clause
Although Solanke enjoyed an outstanding season last time out, you have to wonder whether Chelsea, Tottenham or any other suitors would pay £65million for him.
In 2022/23, Solanke registered just seven goals in all competitions. Obviously he improved massively with 21 goals in 2023/24 (of which 19 came in the Premier League) but clubs will probably want to see at least another season’s worth of consistent and prolific goalscoring before committing £65million.
Nonetheless, let’s see what happens in the coming weeks. No doubt the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham will make approaches, and perhaps even get involved in some negotiations.