Son Heung-min faces fake pregnancy extortion ahead of crucial Europa League final

Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) has become embroiled in an unfortunate incident involving false pregnancy threats ahead of an important final. Currently, the perpetrators who threatened him have been arrested by the police, and Son's side has promised strong legal action.

The Sun reported on the 15th (Korean time) that "Tottenham star Son Heung-min has become a victim of fraud. He was threatened with a fake pregnancy by a woman and a man arrested by the police, and he contacted his legal team regarding this issue."

The media reported that "The Seoul police confirmed that a woman in her 20s was arrested on charges of extortion. A man was also arrested on charges of attempted extortion, and the two are said to have demanded money from Son Heung-min in exchange for keeping silent. They attempted to extort hundreds of millions of won from 'Tottenham ace' Son Heung-min."

The Sun also noted that Son Heung-min, aged 32, has no wife or children. This is a relatively rare case compared to most overseas players who typically start families or have children in their 20s.

Additionally, The Sun mentioned that Son Heung-min had stated he has no plans to settle down as the head of a household until he retires. In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, he said, "My father says this, and I agree. The most important thing when you marry is family. Wife and children come first, and soccer comes second. I want to keep soccer as the priority while I play at the highest level."

Son Heung-min also expressed, "I don't know how long I can play at the highest level. Whether I retire or turn 33 or 34, I can live long with my family," revealing his passion for soccer.

However, an unfortunate incident has occurred for Son Heung-min. According to reports, the Seoul Gangnam Police Station arrested a woman in her 20s, Ms. A, and a man in his 40s, Mr. B, on charges of extortion on the afternoon of the 14th. Son Heung-min's side filed a complaint against the two for extortion on the 7th.

According to the police, Ms. A allegedly demanded hundreds of millions of won from Son Heung-min, claiming she was pregnant with his child last June. In March of this year, Mr. B, an acquaintance of Ms. A, joined in the threats. The police obtained an arrest warrant and apprehended Ms. A and Mr. B, and are currently investigating the exact circumstances of the incident.

For now, Son Heung-min's side emphasizes that he is the victim and has expressed a strong intention to respond. His agency, Son & Football Limited, stated on its website on the 15th, "We have reported the group that has been threatening the athlete with false facts to the police for extortion. The police are currently investigating, and we will inform you of the results as soon as they are available."

They also emphasized, "We will take strong legal action to ensure that the group that has been extorting threats with clear false facts is punished without leniency, and we affirm that Son Heung-min is a clear victim of this incident."

Lastly, Son & Football Limited added, "We sincerely apologize to everyone who has supported us for the concern caused by this unfortunate incident."

Currently, Son Heung-min has the opportunity to lift his first championship trophy in his life. Tottenham will face Premier League rival Manchester United in the final of the 2024-2025 season UEFA Europa League at Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain, on the 22nd.

This is a chance Son Heung-min cannot miss. He made his professional debut in Hamburg, Germany, in 2010, but has not lifted a trophy in the past 15 years. He has spent 10 years at Tottenham but lost in both finals.

With a chance for his first title in 'three tries, two failures,' Son Heung-min referred to this title challenge as 'the last piece of the puzzle.' He stressed, "This time is definitely different. I have been preparing for this moment for the past 10 years." Now, the only thing that can save Tottenham, which has fallen to 17th in the Premier League, and Son Heung-min, who has not won a title in 15 years, is the Europa League trophy.

However, amidst the need to concentrate solely on the game, this unfortunate threat incident has arisen. The British 'Daily Mail' expressed concern, saying, "Currently, Tottenham is aiming for a trophy for the first time in 17 years. In the meantime, Son Heung-min's trial may lead to a somewhat distracted atmosphere. Tottenham is aiming for a spot in next season's Champions League through the upcoming final against Manchester United and the Europa League final."

Moreover, Son Heung-min is not in 100% condition. He missed a month due to an ankle injury after playing against Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals on the 11th of last month. He made his return to the field after about eight games, coming on as a substitute in the second half during the match against Crystal Palace on the 11th.

Concerns arose that Son Heung-min's prolonged injury absence might mean he would miss the season. However, fortunately, he successfully returned ahead of the final. He is likely to be on the field in the upcoming match against Aston Villa, enhancing his game sense.

If Son Heung-min does not perform well in the Villa match, there is a good chance he could be on the bench for the final. The British 'Football London' also highlighted, "Ange Postecoglou must decide whether to start Son Heung-min to increase his playing time before the final or bring him on as a substitute again. Whatever choice he makes, it's important to secure enough time as he does not want to head into the Europa final without having played."

Meanwhile, Tottenham's concerns are not limited to Son Heung-min's condition. James Maddison and Rodrigo Bentancur, who were responsible for the midfield, have both been ruled out for the season due to knee and ankle injuries, respectively. Additionally, Dejan Kulusevski suffered a patellar injury during the match against Crystal Palace and has undergone surgery.

The British 'Telegraph' reported, "Kulusevski's injury is a serious loss for Postecoglou. He was Tottenham's best player in the first half of the season," adding, "With both Kulusevski and Maddison missing the final, Postecoglou is in a situation where creativity in midfield is lacking and he must find solutions. Healthy midfielders are limited to Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, and Pape Sarr. Another injury at the worst possible time has occurred."

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