Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has backed Bournemouth forward Dominic Solanke to play international football after a career-best campaign for the Cherries.
Solanke has been one of the stars of the Premier League campaign for Andoni Iraola’s side, scoring 13 league goals in 23 appearances for Bournemouth.
After a modest start to his top-flight career, Solanke has found his feet at Premier League level and has been backed for an England call-up ahead of March’s international fixtures against Brazil and Belgium.
Howe will face off against his former club and player in the Premier League this weekend, having signed Solanke for Bournemouth from Liverpool in January 2019.
The Newcastle boss has been impressed with the development of the 26-year-old this season and believes Solanke is capable of performing at international level.
“I think he can play international football for sure. I’ve watched a lot of him this year and he’s impressed me every time I’ve seen him.”
Newcastle were linked with a move to sign Solanke in the January transfer window and Howe admits the club’s recruitment team ‘never sleeps’ in a bid to improve.
“The work never stops. The work never stopped in the build up to January, it won’t stop in the build up to the summer. It is a 365 day recruitment, it never sleeps. The processes are unchanged.”
Rumoured interest in Solanke comes amid ongoing injury problems for Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak. The former is facing a significant spell out after picking up a chest injury in the 3-2 win at Nottingham Forest last weekend. Isak, meanwhile, is also unavailable for the weekend.
“It was a strange injury, he (Wilson) got in a tussle with the centre-back at the end of the last match. It was a muscle, his pectoral muscle, we had it scanned we hoped initially he could continue.
“When he went to see a specialist, it was apparent he will need surgery. I think he’s having it as we speak. It is no doubt a big blow for him. It’s been a stop start season for him. We hope he’s back before the end of the season.
“Alex Isak is probably not ready for the weekend, but he is very close and looking really good. I am really pleased with his progress. Like Alex, Joe Willock is very close too, he is knocking on the door, looking good, feeling much better. He is another huge player for us that we are desperate to get back.”
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