Ange Postecoglou believes new signing Dominic Solanke will suit Tottenham's style of play and says he was attracted by the "mentality" shown by the forward after initially failing to fulfill his early promise.
Solanke is set to make his Spurs bow in their Premier League curtain-raiser at Leicester City on Monday after a £65million move from Bournemouth this month.
Postecoglou believes Solanke's ability to press from the front and score "different types of goals" means he will be the perfect fit for his Spurs side.
"I thought he did well against us [last season] and he gave us some real problems that a lot of strikers in the league didn’t in his mobility," Postecoglou said.
"His movement was really impressive. There’s no secret we love to press and he’s got a great work ethic and he scores goals. He is a presence and scores different types of goals. I think the way we play suits him."
Postecoglou has made a habit of signing players who have risen through the leagues or overcome adversity, and Solanke fits the bill.
Considered a huge talent as a young player at Chelsea, Solanke never made a top-flight appearance for the Blues and joined Liverpool in 2017. He managed just one League goal for the Reds and signed for Bournemouth in a £19m deal two years later.
He initially struggled to make an impact at the Cherries, but the 26-year-old has gradually rebuilt his reputation and was outstanding last season, scoring 19 top-flight goals.
"I really liked where he was in his career," Postecoglou added. "I am a big one on understanding the person, the person’s motivation and he was obviously an outstanding young player.
I am a big one on understanding the person’s motivation and he was obviously an outstanding young player
"He got to some big clubs, but never worked out for him and it’s what you do in that scenario? Do you think it’ll never happen for me or do you work your way back?
"He’s done remarkably well to get himself into a position where he scored 19 goals in the Premier League last year, which we all know is a fair feat and he’s got himself back to a big club.
"I love that aspect because I know I have the right sort of mentality.
"It was a whole range of things that meant I was really keen to bring him in. Sometimes these things are about timing and I thought it was a good time for him, but also a good time for us to bring him in because we have a really young group. He’s one that is proven at Premier League level and he improves us."
Solanke is set to compete with Richarlison, who is available against Leicester but not yet match-fit, to be Spurs' centre-forward, with Postecoglou looking forward to being able to predominantly use captain Heung-min Son on the left wing again.
The Australian believes the addition of Solanke, Son's return to the flanks and the development of other forwards should mean Spurs are a more coherent attacking unit this season.
"I definitely think as much as the injuries at the back cost us last year - and they did cost us, that was mainly because we lost three quarters of our back line for a big chunk of time - but I still felt it was up front where we were most short and could improve the most," Postecoglou said.
"A lot of that was that Richy when he played was outstanding, but he had a lot of injuries last year, so then we had to play Sonny inside.
"It was Brennan Johnson’s first year at the club, he’s only 22 and first year at a big club, but I still thought he did well. We had to sign Timo [Werner], we lost Perisic and [Manor] Solomon first or second round. So, we were down two wingers.
"I really felt it was the area we needed to bulk up in the off-season and just going into the season with Dom and Richy there, two real good presences in the striking position. It doesn’t mean Sonny can’t play through the middle during the year, but I think we look like a much better team when he’s out wide on the left.
“That’s the exciting bit that we were looking for improvement. We needed to improve in the front third and we have with bringing Dom in."
