Tottenham shirt number choice rejected by Dominic Solanke as “big-money” move falls through

Dominic Solanke is very close to leaving Bournemouth for Tottenham, but he will not be able to keep his beloved shirt number.

Forget about Dominic Solanke wearing his beloved No. 9 shirt when Tottenham plays. The striker for Bournemouth is getting close to moving to north London; it’s assumed that personal terms are just a formality.

Despite having a contract with the Cherries through 2029, Solanke has a £65 million release clause that could be activated by specific teams. Although Daniel Levy of Spurs hopes to pay less than the release fee, Bournemouth will still be selling for a club record.

If the deal goes through, Ange Postecoglou would have his first true No. 9 since Harry Kane left for Bayern Munich in the summer. The No. 9 jersey will not be Solanke’s, though, as Richarlison turned down a “big-money” transfer to the Saudi Pro League.

The Brazilian, who spent two injury-plagued years at Spurs, has been linked to a move to Saudi Arabia in recent months. Richarlison, 27, has stated that he wants to remain in England and try to regain his spot on the Brazil national team. Al Hilal was allegedly prepared to make a bid for him.

“A proposal has been made,” Richarlison said to ESPN Brazil. However, my desire to play in the Premier League and for the Brazilian Selecao [national squad] is more audible. Although I have a lot of money, my dreams are bigger.

Then, Richarlison shared a photo of himself having fun at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on his Instagram account, writing, “I am at home.”

Prior to this, Solanke, who has worn the No. 9 jersey at Bournemouth, expressed his wish to don the same shirt as his football idols. After leaving Liverpool in 2019, he stated on the Bournemouth website, “I’ve always been a striker, so the number nine is my favorite.”

“Seeing elite players in that number growing up—like R9 [Ronaldo], Ibrahimovic, and Benzema, to mention a few—makes me happy to have it.”

Get more related news at sportviewers.com