“Shocking Reveal: Can Dominic Solanke Really Replace Harry Kane? The Truth Behind England’s Striker Crisis
### Dominic Solanke Deserves His Long-Awaited England Recall—But Can He Replace Harry Kane If Needed?
It’s been nearly seven years since Dominic Solanke made his England debut, coming on for the final 15 minutes of a 0-0 draw against Brazil. At that time, he was a rising star fresh off his move from Chelsea to Liverpool and had just won the Golden Ball at the Under-20 World Cup, which England claimed. Few would have predicted it would take so long for him to earn a second cap.
Now, the circumstances surrounding his call-up to Lee Carsley’s squad as interim head coach are quite different. No longer the 20-year-old prospect, Solanke is now a 27-year-old forward who recently transferred to Tottenham Hotspur for a fee that could reach £65 million. Over the years, he has transformed from a wonderkid to a subject of ridicule, and finally into a high-caliber center-forward—yet he still has only one senior international cap.
While Solanke won’t be Carsley’s first choice upfront—Harry Kane, the team captain and established number nine, holds that title—he aims to prove himself as a reliable backup alongside Ollie Watkins in the upcoming Nations League matches against Greece and Finland.
It might be tempting to view him as Watkins’ rival in the race to be Kane’s backup for the 2026 World Cup, but that would undermine both players and Carsley. Solanke’s purpose in the squad isn’t to compete with Watkins, but to demonstrate his ability to fill Kane’s role should the need arise.
Solanke is arguably the only top-level striker eligible for England who can replicate Kane’s style—a deeper striker who orchestrates attacks rather than just finishing them. He has the ability to drop back and draw defenders out of position, linking up play effectively.
In contrast, Watkins thrives when positioned high up the pitch, exploiting defensive lines and playing off the last defender. This is the role Gareth Southgate envisioned for Watkins when he brought him on to secure the decisive goal in the Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands. It’s likely what Carsley expects of him as well.
Watkins would step in for Kane (or play alongside him) when England is in urgent need of a goal or when space behind the defense is available for exploitation. However, asking him to adopt Kane’s role if the Bayern Munich striker were injured would be misplacing his talents.
Solanke possesses attributes similar to Kane’s—he has the strength to hold off defenders, can drop deeper to receive the ball, and links up well with other forwards. For comparison, Kane has provided 11 league assists over the last two seasons, while Solanke has registered 10, with both generating shooting chances at similar rates.
Of course, Solanke’s inclusion in the squad is also due to his impressive goal-scoring record last season, where he netted 19 league goals for Bournemouth, primarily from inside the penalty area as a traditional striker. The challenge lies not just in whether Solanke can replicate Kane’s contributions, but in whether he can do so while continuing to score goals himself.
