Tottenham could face loanee Manor Solomon as Champions League return pits Spurs against Villarreal
Mauricio Pochettino? Thomas Frank? — Spurs may meet a familiar face after the Israeli forward is included in Villarreal's UEFA list
Tottenham Hotspur could face Manor Solomon, a player on their books since 2023, when they resume Champions League group-stage action against Villarreal on Tuesday.
Solomon, who joined Villarreal on a season-long loan from Spurs, has been named in the Spanish club's UEFA List A for the group phase, making him eligible to play against his parent club in continental competition. Unlike the Premier League, UEFA rules permit loaned players to face their parent clubs in European competitions.
The 26-year-old Israeli has yet to make a competitive appearance for Villarreal under manager Marcelino but had opted to spend a second consecutive season on loan away from Spurs. Solomon moved to the Premier League in 2022 from Shakhtar Donetsk following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, initially joining Fulham on loan. Spurs completed a permanent transfer for him in 2023.
Solomon missed the entire 2023-24 campaign after suffering a right knee meniscus injury and spent last season on loan at Leeds United, where he contributed to their promotion to the Premier League. A proposed move to Crystal Palace in the recent transfer window was reported to have collapsed when Palace retained defender Marc Guehi, a development that reportedly scuppered the transfer before Villarreal's loan was arranged.
Tottenham qualified for this season's Champions League after winning the Europa League at the end of last campaign, a triumph that booked the club's return to Europe's premier competition for the first time since 2023. Under manager Thomas Frank, Spurs have begun the domestic season strongly at home, scoring eight goals before the international break and defeating Manchester City 2-0, but were beaten by Bournemouth in their most recent league fixture.
The potential meeting with Solomon adds an unusual subplot to Spurs' European return. UEFA regulations differ from Premier League rules, where loaned players are barred from facing their parent clubs. In Europe, clubs may register loanees in their squads and select them for matches against the owning club, provided they are included on the official competition lists.
Off the field, Solomon was at the center of a separate episode in June when Tottenham apologised after some club staff manually blocked social media accounts that had responded to images the club reposted from his wedding. The player has been publicly vocal in support of Israel amid ongoing conflict in the region; Spurs described the blocking as an "error of judgement" and issued an apology.
Marcelino's selection decisions for Villarreal, and whether Solomon will be handed minutes against Spurs, remained unconfirmed ahead of the fixture. Tottenham manager Thomas Frank faces the task of preparing his squad for European competition while managing domestic fixtures and player fitness as the season progresses.
If selected, Solomon would be one of a small number of players to face their parent clubs in UEFA competition, underlining the differing regulatory frameworks between domestic and continental football. The match will also offer Spurs an early measure of their progress in Europe after returning to the Champions League via last season's continental success.