Published Jul 29, 2026, 7:10 AM GMT+1

Matt is the senior editor of Football FanCast.

Having graduated from the University of Huddersfield in 2018 following a course in Sports Journalism, he began at Snack eight months later as part of the writing team. Although a huge Arsenal fan, Matt has covered a wealth of clubs from Leeds United to Celtic, Rangers and various teams within the EFL. His footballing knowledge covers vast reaches. After a spell as assistant editor on Football FanCast, Matt became chief editor of the site in late 2021.

Matt's experience also counts work at GIVEMESPORT and the Press Association, where he was featured on Sky Sports & The Daily Mail. He is also the former Arsenal and Premier League editor at VAVEL. Matt has added experience in club media, having worked with Chesterfield FC during the 2017/18 season.

He has also interviewed some iconic figures from the world of football including the great Arsene Wenger, Ray Parlour, Alan Smith, Lucy Bronze and Steph Houghton.

Matt further boasts a love for broadcast media, his voice has been heard across Love Sport Radio, Arsenal Fan TV and various football podcasts.

It's been a remarkably strong transfer window for the Lilywhites but they are not done yet.

There's room for more spending and it could take them in the direction of Eli Junior Kroupi at Tottenham. He is thought to be open to the move and Spurs really want him but the Cherries are reluctant to sell, understandably so.

As a result, De Zerbi will have to look elsewhere to potentially replace Dominic Solanke this summer.

Why Tottenham need to spend to replace Dominic Solanke

Solanke's time in north London has been the very definition of topsy-turvy.

After Harry Kane's departure in the summer of 2023, the former Liverpool and Chelsea man has been entrusted with replacing his remarkable goal tally.

Unsurprisingly, that has not happened. Replacing Kane was never going to be easy and it is unfair to judge Solanke in comparison to their greatest-ever goalscorer.

Alas, the difference is night and day. The England man has not been good enough since moving from Bournemouth in the summer of 2024.

In his first season, he did find the net on 16 occasions but only six goals were forthcoming last term during an injury-riddled campaign.

Spurs need to reassess their options. Richarlison has already scored in pre-season and was the club's top scorer with 12 strikes to his name in 2025/26. However, there are rumours he could leave and like Solanke, the Brazilian has hardly been awe-inspiring since swapping Merseyside for London.

De Zerbi has already sold one internal solution in the form of Will Lankshear while for other young forwards such as Mikey Moore, Mason Melia and James Wilson, it feels too soon to throw them into the firing line. Dane Scarlett has scored in pre-season but at the age of 22, it feels like his time has come and gone.

As a result, Tottenham need to dip their toes into the transfer window. They've had a great summer but it will not be complete without the addition of a few attacking players. They will not soar to the heights De Zerbi is hoping for without more goalscorers.

Spurs could replace Solanke with £60m Premier League star

Understandably, all of the talk this summer has been about the aforementioned Kroupi. No teenager has ever scored more goals (13) than the Frenchman in their maiden Premier League season.

He's one of the best young players in Europe but at the moment looks unattainable. He is attracting interest from Manchester City, Arsenal and Barcelona too.

Subsequently, alternatives must be looked at. Club Brugge forward Nicolo Tresoldi has been reported as one option while Marcus Rashford has been touted too.

A more realistic opportunity may lie in the shape of Manchester City's Omar Marmoush. Dean Jones, reporting for Live Score, suggests that the Egyptian is an option if they cannot force through a move for Kroupi.

Based on Marmoush's exploits last season, there may be some worries. Like Solanke, he didn't actually see much football. The 27-year-old only started 16 times in all competitions but did feature on 38 occasions all told. From those outings, he bagged eight goals and registered three assists.

That said, in 2024/25, the £60m signing was simply sensational. With 28 goals and 17 assists in 51 outings for Eintracht Frankfurt and Manchester City, Marmoush proved that on his day, he is one of the most dangerous attackers in the world.

Comparing their impressive individual campaigns from 2024/25 and it's clear just what a huge upgrade Marmoush could be on Spurs' existing options.

While he may not be particularly strong at all in the air, he's such a multi-faceted forward, someone who can not just play up top but also out wide.

Judging by that, it's hardly a surprise that he ranks highly for metrics like progressive carries and shot-ending carries. The Egypt star is such a lively presence and he's been compared to one of Tottenham's greats too.

"He's a little bit like Defoe," said fellow countryman Mido shortly after he moved to the Eithad. "He doesn't want the ball to his feet so much, okay he's good on the ball when he gets the ball to his feet but his real quality is to run behind the defenders and to stretch any defence."

Stretching defences is something that Solanke certainly does not excel at. They are very different profiles and that's why Spurs need Marmoush. In De Zerbi's system, he could more than excel.