Son Heung-min risks leaving Tottenham without a trophy despite loyal service

Will Son Heung-min (33) ultimately leave Tottenham Hotspur without a title? There is a sense of regret here in the UK as well.

The Tottenham fan community 'To The Rain and Back' noted on the 30th (Korean time), "Tottenham hopes to find a conclusion regarding Son Heung-min's future." They added, "The only thing missing from Son Heung-min's beautiful Tottenham chapter is a trophy. He has never won since moving to the Premier League (PL). It is possible that he may never have that experience."

Son Heung-min is a recognized legend of Tottenham. Since joining Tottenham after leaving Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, he has never transferred to another team. He has scored 173 goals and provided 96 assists in 448 matches wearing the Tottenham number 7 jersey.

'To The Rain and Back' emphasized, "Since joining Tottenham in 2015, Son Heung-min has been a loyal servant. The word 'legend' is often used too easily in the football world, but it is not an exaggeration to say that the number 7 of Tottenham is a club legend and one of the greatest players in the club's history. Son Heung-min is loved by all fans and performs weekly for Tottenham."

The media further added, "Son Heung-min was initially considered a questionable player. However, during his time in North London, he proved time and again that those doubting him were wrong and earned the love of fans. Son Heung-min will complete 10 years at the club this summer. This shows how loyal he has been to the team."

However, Son Heung-min still has one final puzzle piece that he has not yet obtained: a winning trophy. He has spent a decade at Tottenham but has yet to win a trophy. Even considering his national team career, the only title he has is the gold medal from the under-23 tournament in the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.

Son Heung-min dreams of the day he can lift a trophy at Tottenham. Last August, he said, "I want to be called a legend. Playing for one team for 10 years is a good effort. I need to be consistent and give something back to the club." He also mentioned, "I still don't think of myself as a legend for this team. I have said I want to win something with Tottenham. If that happens, I could be very happy being called a legend."

If he simply wanted a trophy, he could transfer to another team closer to winning. But Son Heung-min dreams of winning at Tottenham. In a fan forum, he stated, "I still have a contract with Tottenham, and it has been almost 10 years since I've been here. I can't even imagine how happy I am here. What I can say is that I am focused only on this season. What I want is to win. One day, when I leave Tottenham, I hope everyone will smile and call me a legend."

If Son Heung-min's dream comes true, Tottenham will also put an end to their 17-year title drought. Tottenham's last trophy was the League Cup in the 2007-2008 season. They have challenged for the title several times since but have finished second on each occasion. In the 2016-2017 season, they finished second to Chelsea, and in the 2018-2019 season, they reached the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final for the first time in club history but failed to overcome Liverpool.

However, whether we will see Son Heung-min lifting a trophy while wearing the Tottenham jersey remains uncertain. Tottenham is experiencing the worst slump under manager Ange Postecoglou this season. They have been eliminated from both the League Cup and FA Cup, and they are currently 14th in the PL. Their league record includes 15 losses in 29 matches, tying for the most losses since the 2008-2009 season.

The UEFA Europa League (UEL) is the last hope. Tottenham struggled to defeat AZ Alkmaar in the Round of 16 to advance to the quarterfinals. However, facing Bundesliga powerhouse Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarterfinals, a difficult match is anticipated.

Despite everything, there are not many who predict Tottenham, now firmly established with the image of being title-less, will win. Earlier, the UK 'Football 365' stated, "It seems that some players will not be able to touch a trophy. Of course, I cannot speak ill of them. Son Heung-min is one of them," adding, "I hope that any criticism of Son Heung-min will be seen as criticism of Tottenham, which has disappointed him and many others."

The media also stated, "Tottenham and Son Heung-min have been mutually beneficial. Tottenham undoubtedly helped Son Heung-min grow into a world-class player. However, looking back on his career, there will be regrets," and added, "It would be an unbelievable waste if a player of Son Heung-min's caliber retired without a single trophy."

Now, discussions about selling Son Heung-min are also emerging. Amid Tottenham's severe slump, there is a sentiment placing excessive blame on captain Son Heung-min. There are even opinions suggesting that his leadership should be called into question and that he should step down as captain, which occasionally surfaces.

'Tottenham News' claimed, "It has been a bleak season for Tottenham. The same can be said for Son Heung-min. He once made a name for himself as one of the top strikers in the PL. However, his decline is truly unfortunate, and it seems that his time at Tottenham is coming to an end."

The media also stated, "News updates about transfers to take Son Heung-min to the 'next stage' suggest that his time at Tottenham may be over," forecasting that Matheus Cunha could become his replacement this summer. If Cunha arrives, some players will need to leave Tottenham, and selling Son Heung-min would be seen as the most reasonable option compared to others.

It is anticipated that Son Heung-min will eventually leave Tottenham without a trophy. However, Tottenham veteran Alan Hutton expressed a different opinion. He noted that while Son Heung-min needs to look towards the future as he ages, "Include Son Heung-min in the squad. He may not have shown up against Fulham, but there will still be matches where he is needed."

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