Solanke gunning for Golden Boot as he delivers on potential

Dominic Solanke is one of the standout players of the Premier League season.

The striker has netted 12 times for Bournemouth, firing them away from relegation trouble and into contention for a top-half finish.

And with the goals flowing, the Premier League Player of the Month for December could turn this campaign into the most significant of his career. 

Ahead of the Cherries' clash with Liverpool on Sunday, we analyse his form and what could come next.

Matter of time

Solanke's breakout at the highest level has been coming.

The striker's career seemed to be going nowhere when he left Chelsea for Liverpool in 2017 but bagging 44 goals in two Championship seasons between 2020-22 with Bournemouth hinted at what was around the corner.

And scoring six times for a struggling Cherries side in the Premier League last term was not a bad tally in a team widely expected to go down. 

Working under a forward-thinking coach was the missing piece of the jigsaw and Solanke is now flourishing under Andoni Iraola.

Keeping pace

Solanke's eye-catching form looks sustainable.

The 26-year-old ranks second to Erling Haaland for shots per game in the top flight and third for expected goals behind the Norwegian and Mohamed Salah.

But the one-cap England international does not just exist to score, also using his physicality to his advantage.

He has won 5.6 headers per game this term, while of all top-tier strikers only Heung-Min Son has taken the ball back more often in his team's attacking third.

Window of opportunity

Solanke sits just two goals behind joint-leaders Haaland and Salah in the race for the Golden Boot.

And with the City striker injured until at least the end of January and Liverpool's talisman possibly at the Africa Cup of Nations until the middle of February, he has the chance to make history.

Leicester's Jamie Vardy in 2019-20 is the only winner of the Premier League Golden Boot from outside the traditional Big Six since Sunderland's Kevin Phillips in 1999-2000.

But even if he falls short, Solanke can look at Ivan Toney's 20-goal 2022-23 campaign with Brentford as inspiration for the opportunities that come with one big season.

Next steps

Toney made his England debut in March 2023 and may well have secured a major transfer to a big-hitter last summer were it not for his ban for gambling offences.

Vacancies have opened up for a centre forward at Arsenal and Chelsea and a few more goals for Solanke could see him rival the Brentford star for that type of move.

A return to Stamford Bridge would complete a full circle for a player who was discarded by the Blues in 2017, while the Gunners have already been linked.

Selection for Euro 2024 is also a possibility so Solanke will not want to let up — beginning with that clash against his former club in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Sunday.