The atmosphere is definitely different from two years ago. Speculation that Son Heung-min (33), who is engulfed in transfer rumors to Saudi Arabia, could end his journey with Tottenham Hotspur is growing.
The British public broadcaster BBC reported on the 12th (Korean time) that "Micky van de Ven mentioned that it was 'strange' regarding the dismissal of Ange Postecoglou, while Son Heung-min shared his outlook on his future. He said it was 'something to wait and see.'"
The media noted that "Tottenham captain Son Heung-min said he would 'wait and see what happens' regarding his contract. At 32 years old, Son Heung-min has only one year left on his contract, revealing uncertainty about his future."
Recently, Tottenham dismissed coach Postecoglou, who lifted the UEFA Europa League (UEL) trophy. He led Son Heung-min to his first career trophy and brought Tottenham its first victory in 17 years, but could not avoid being fired after a dismal finish in 17th place in the Premier League.
Now, Tottenham is in the process of appointing Thomas Frank, the Brentford coach. BBC stated, "If Frank becomes the next Tottenham manager, Son Heung-min's future could be the first issue he faces. The possibility is growing."
Son Heung-min's contract with Tottenham expires at the end of the upcoming 2025-2026 season. Instead of offering him a new contract, Tottenham only activated a one-year extension option. This has led to persistent transfer rumors.
There is also an analysis that the dismissal of coach Postecoglou could influence Son Heung-min's future. The British Telegraph reported, "Tottenham is facing a rebellion from its players. Following the brutal firing of coach Postecoglou, just 16 days after winning the Europa League, the players' anger has exploded."
The media added, "The firing of Postecoglou has angered many Tottenham players. Some want to leave the team. According to sources, the next commander will face significant difficulties in stabilizing the broken locker room," and noted, "Son Heung-min has given some teammates and coaching staff the impression that he might leave Tottenham this summer as Saudi Arabia is showing interest in him."
Tottenham's key defender van de Ven has also subtly expressed his dissatisfaction regarding the firing of coach Postecoglou. In an interview with his home country's media, he stated, "Many players had a good relationship with the coach. He is the first manager to lead Tottenham to victory in a long time. That shows he has certain qualities and competitiveness at 100%. From that perspective, the firing can be said to be obviously strange."
In particular, the transfer rumors for Son Heung-min to Saudi Arabia are heating up. Saudi Arabian clubs like Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, and Al Hilal, backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), are reportedly interested in acquiring Son Heung-min. The U.S. ESPN reported, "The summer transfer window in the Saudi League opens on July 20. The 32-year-old South Korean national team forward Son Heung-min is expected to be one of many targets."
In particular, Al Nassr is showing strong interest in Son Heung-min. The British Sun stated, "Son Heung-min has a chance to transfer to multiple Saudi Pro League teams. According to sources, Tottenham is considering selling him if a hefty offer comes in," and noted, "Al Nassr is paying attention to Son Heung-min as a successor to Cristiano Ronaldo and is already working on practical acquisition efforts."
Al Ittihad also attempted to acquire Son Heung-min in the summer of 2023. According to CBS Sports and others, Al Ittihad prepared to offer a transfer fee of $65 million (about 90 billion won) to Tottenham at that time. The annual salary offered to Son Heung-min reached €30 million (about 46.5 billion won), totaling €120 million (about 186.1 billion won) over four years.
However, Son Heung-min's answer was 'NO.' He chose to stay with Tottenham and take on a new challenge with Ange Postecoglou. He referred to the words of Ki Sung-yueng (FC Seoul), saying, "The captain of the South Korean national team does not go to China," and emphasized, "Money is not important right now. What matters is playing in a league I love."
Now the situation is different. As Son Heung-min approaches 33, he enters the twilight of his career, and his injury history has noticeably increased recently. Contrary to expectations, he has not been able to sign an additional long-term contract with Tottenham, leaving only one season remaining. Unlike two years ago, both Son Heung-min and Tottenham are now quite likely to be swayed by the allure of oil money.
ESPN also pointed out that Saudi Arabia could lure both Tottenham and Son Heung-min with overwhelming financial power. The media stated, "Tottenham, the UEL champion, is reluctant to part ways with captain Son Heung-min. However, Son could face a difficult decision because if he goes to Saudi Arabia, he is likely to earn significantly more than he does in North London."
There has already been light contact with Saudi Arabia. European football transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano recently explained, "The talks about Son Heung-min's potential transfer to Saudi Arabia are arising because there is a very good relationship between Son Heung-min's agent and the Saudi clubs. There have been conversations in recent weeks, and there is interest from the Saudi side."
He also mentioned, "As of now, there have been no advances in negotiations. Tottenham has not received any official offers. It is still in the early stages. However, interest from Saudi Arabia is real," adding, "We should wait and see how things unfold. We also need to see who the next manager of Tottenham will be, as a new manager may say they want to keep Son Heung-min as 'untouchable' and retain him in the squad."
Son Heung-min has not closed the door on the possibility of moving to Saudi Arabia. After finishing the match against Kuwait on the 10th, when asked about his future, he responded, "I still have time left on my contract. It is not advisable to say anything here right now," while also saying, "It’s best to wait. I am also curious. It is hard to predict what will happen. It would be good to see what unfolds."
This answer is markedly different from the firm stance he took against the Saudi transfer rumors two years ago. Alasdair Gold, the Tottenham reporter for Football London, noted, "After spending 10 years at Tottenham and finally achieving the long-anticipated championship, Son Heung-min is more open to leaving the club this summer if an agreement suitable for all parties is reached. He acknowledged in an interview before the Europa League final that his reason for staying at Tottenham was ultimately to bring a trophy to the club."
He further emphasized, "Saudi Pro League teams are expected to initiate efforts to acquire Son Heung-min this summer. They are aware that his large popularity across Asia can significantly impact the league. The possibility of a Saudi transfer is more realistic now than when Son Heung-min himself previously ruled it out last summer."
Ultimately, Son Heung-min's decision is crucial. Gold remarked, "Much relies on both Tottenham's and, ultimately, Son Heung-min's stance. Son Heung-min has already established his position as a legend at Tottenham. In the coming weeks, it will be determined whether this trophy will mark the last chapter spent in North London or whether it will lead to new adventures under a new manager."
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Reproduction and redistribution prohibited)
[OSEN]