Dominic Solanke named December's Premier League Player of the Month

For his remarkable performance in December 2023, Dominic Solanke, the striker for Bournemouth, earned the Premier League's Player of the Month award.

With six goals in as many games throughout December, including his debut senior hat-trick, Solanke has significantly contributed towards mitigating Bournemouth's relegation threat. They currently hold the 12th position in the league table, enjoying a comfortable ten-point lead above the relegation threshold.

Expressing his joy, Solanke said, 'Winning the Premier League Player of the Month for December is a matter of great delight for me. We've had a fantastic month with several key victories and unforgettable moments, notably my first-ever Premier League hat-trick.'

Among the eight nominees for the award were top-notch players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool, Cole Palmer of Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min. Despite the stiff competition, Solanke claimed the award.

He becomes only the fourth from Bournemouth - player or manager - to secure an individual Premier League accolade, joining the prestigious company of the former Manager of the Month Eddie Howe, who signed Solanke to the Vitality Stadium, back in 2019.

While Howe, who currently manages Newcastle United, has been speculated to be eyeing a reunion with Solanke this month, he denied the rumors at a press conference on Friday. 'I admire Dominic Solanke greatly, having been the one to sign him. I regard him highly. However, we haven't approached him and we're not in a position to sign a player of his caliber at the moment,' Howe stated.

Meanwhile, Solanke's name has also been associated with potential interest from Tottenham and Arsenal, given his impressive record of 12 goals from the 19 Premier League matches he played this season.