Chelsea striker Solanke enjoying bright start with Vitesse

The 18-year-old striker was delighted to see his side take three points from Sunday’s derby against NEC and feels he is settling in well to life in Netherlands.

“It was amazing!” 18-year-old striker Dominic Solanke was buoyant after his Vitesse side picked up three points with a 1-0 win in Sunday’s derby match against fierce rivals NEC. The Chelsea striker, on loan with the Eredivisie side, was unable to make the difference in the big game, but it was an occasion he relished and seemed to soak in – a constant theme of his time in Arnhem so far.

“The fans came to training yesterday and that was a good experience,” he told Goal UK after the game. “There were a lot of them, they were letting off fireworks and stuff. It was amazing. They got behind us, so it was good to get the win and make them happy.”

Solanke is the youngest of three players to make the move from Stamford Bridge to the Gelredome on a temporary basis this season, coming in alongside Lewis Baker and Isaiah Brown.

While Brown has been used mostly as a substitute and is starring for the reserves, Baker has been a superb addition to the midfield as a proper metronome of the team and a reliable creator. Solanke, meanwhile, has cemented himself as a regular starter after initially being eased into the team. A player who would probably be spending another season in the youth ranks had he not moved to Netherlands, the teenager looks ready to seize his opportunity and absorb the learning experience.
 

Goal UK / Foto’s SV