Leeds United winger makes 'better version' vow after injury blow as Farke backs suitability
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Perhaps unsurprisingly after a torrid injury-ravaged 2023/24 campaign, Solomon is not fully up to speed since arriving on loan at Elland Road from Tottenham Hotspur.
The 25-year-old was heavily involved in Spurs' opening period of last season. He was named in the starting XI in two of the first seven Premier League outings and came off the bench in three others. There were no goals but he did grab two assists in the 5-2 win over Burnley. Then a knee injury ended his season in October. Surgeries and set-backs prevented him from returning to action until August 2024 when he started for Leeds against Hull City.
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Hide AdBut as can be the case with long-term injury victims, it has not been plain sailing for Solomon as his new manager likely feared. At the close of the transfer window Daniel Farke warned that Solomon's injury record had to be factored into expectations. A slight back problem led to a hamstring niggle and he missed four games.
He came off the bench against Sheffield United to make his return and then got more minutes than Leeds had planned for when Largie Ramazani went down early on in the win over Watford. Solomon's 76-minute display held glimpses of his ability but there was inevitable rust. He's certain he can shake that off with more game time.
"I'm back after a few weeks," he said. "Unfortunately I picked up a small injury in training one month ago, more or less, and it kind of stopped my momentum after the tough season I had last season with a long injury. But now I'm back, it was just a small injury. I'm feeling good and it's behind me and I just want to get more minutes and to play better, to show a better version of myself. I'm still not in the top of my game but I will get there."
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Hide AdChampions League experience amounting to 16 appearances and 24 outings in the English top flight suggest that Solomon should be more than comfortable in the Championship once he gets going. His aim is the same as his loan club's - to return to the top.
"Obviously, after the tough season that I had last season, I didn't play the majority of the season, so it was really tough for me," he said. "And now it's the time for me to get back to my zone, to get back to my fitness, to my sharpness. And it takes time unfortunately. I haven't faced it before, but I want to help Leeds in the best way I can. And get our goal and then in the end of the season we will see but, of course, my aim is to get back to the best levels."
Solomon's bid to get back to his best would be aided by any absence for Ramazani, who has shone in the Israeli international's stead. The loanee was ahead of Daniel James in their respective returns to fitness following hamstring problems and his pedigree convinced Farke to start him almost immediately after he signed with little time spent getting to know the system in training.
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Hide AdSo far Ramazani has three goals and one assist, Willy Gnonto two goals and four assists and James a single goal, though the latter should have picked up another when he crossed beautifully for an unmarked Mateo Joseph on Tuesday night. The Welshman also came close to his second goal of the season late on in an impressive cameo.
"There is a big competition," said Solomon. "There's really good players. We are more or less four wingers with top quality, and each one of us wants to start, wants to get the minutes. But it's a fair competition, and the best will play."
The way they play under Farke is a little different from what Solomon did at Spurs. Leeds' wide players rarely hug the touchline and rotate positions often. Gnonto has featured as almost a second number 10 for large spells and Ramazani is fond of popping up centrally too.
"He has done this also in the past," said Farke of Solomon. "Depending a bit on his former manager sometimes he played a bit more out of the pocket. Sometimes he played wide. I think especially after you have not played that much as a winger in the last year it's of course a bit naturally easier to stay wide, to get the ball and then to start your actions instead of receiving the ball already under pressure in tighter areas. Anyhow, I think he can do this. But of course, he needs to shake off the rust, not just off the injury, but also a little bit out of the last year where he was not playing that much. So I think he can do both, and has shown also both. And the minutes [against Watford] will also be beneficial for him, because we need, we need also his flexibility and that he's not predictable, because he can play also a bit more inside, but he also can play wide, and we want to use both in the future."
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Hide AdSolomon believes that what Farke wants will suit his skillset. He just needs time to become more accustomed to it. "I like it," he said. "Obviously it's different to what I was used to in Tottenham. There I would play more open wide, and here I can [be] diverse. I can go inside, go outside, then open wide. So I kind of like it. I need to get used to it, but I like it, and I think it fits my game."
Farke will give an update on the fitness of Ramazani when he sits down with the media at lunchtime on Friday before Saturday's away day at Bristol City.
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