The future of Son Heung-min (33), who has spent 10 years with Tottenham Hotspur, has once again become a focal point of interest. Despite the strong courting from Saudi capital, former Tottenham player Paul Robinson said, "There’s no reason to sell," strongly advocating for a contract extension.
The Tottenham fan community, Spurs Web, reported on the 13th (Korea time) that "Son Heung-min may sign an extension with Tottenham despite a hefty offer from Saudi Arabia," conveying Robinson's remarks.
Tottenham is experiencing a time of upheaval. They lifted the Europa League trophy in the 2024-2025 season, but manager Ange Postecoglou was dismissed. The British Telegraph reported, "Tottenham is facing a rebellion among the players. Just 16 days after winning the Europa League, the firing of Australian manager Postecoglou sparked outrage among Tottenham players."
The media noted, "The dismissal of Postecoglou has angered many Tottenham players. Some players want to leave the team. According to sources, the next manager will face significant challenges in repairing the broken locker room," adding that "Son Heung-min has given some teammates and coaching staff the impression that he might leave Tottenham this summer, as Saudi Arabia has shown interest in him."
In fact, Son Heung-min's contract with Tottenham will expire at the end of the upcoming 2025-2026 season. Tottenham has opted to trigger a 1-year extension option instead of offering him a new contract. This has led to ongoing rumors of a transfer. He expressed a desire to leave Tottenham as a legend after lifting the UEFA Europa League (UEL) trophy last month, indicating that he could be ready for a new challenge.
The dismissal of manager Postecoglou could also influence Son Heung-min's future. Reports have indicated that both Son and vice-captain Cristian Romero have shown significant dissatisfaction regarding Postecoglou's situation. In fact, Romero has reportedly demanded that Postecoglou's presence be a prerequisite for his continued stay at Tottenham.
Captain Son Heung-min and vice-captain Cristian Romero may leave Tottenham, similar to Harry Kane two years ago. Football London noted, "Frank may face a situation similar to that of Ange Postecoglou in 2023 due to uncertainties surrounding the futures of Son and Romero."
Son Heung-min is strongly linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, and Al Hilal, backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), are reportedly interested in him. U.S. media outlet ESPN reported, "The summer transfer market for the Saudi league opens on July 20. The 32-year-old South Korean national team striker Son Heung-min is expected to be one of the major targets."
Among them, Al Nassr is keen on acquiring Son Heung-min. The British tabloid The Sun stated, "Son Heung-min could potentially transfer to a number of clubs in the Saudi Pro League. According to sources, Tottenham is considering selling him if substantial offers come in," adding that "Al Nassr is eyeing Son Heung-min as a successor to Cristiano Ronaldo and is already working on the acquisition."
Al Ittihad also attempted to sign Son Heung-min in the summer of 2023. According to CBS Sports and other sources, Al Ittihad was prepared to offer Tottenham a transfer fee of $65 million (about 90 billion won). They also proposed an annual salary of 30 million euros (about 46.5 billion won), totaling 120 million euros (about 186.1 billion won) over four years.
Football Insider has argued that with the start of Frank's regime, Son Heung-min should be sold. The outlet pointed out that Son's recent performances have not met fans' expectations. He started on the bench in the Europa League final and recorded 11 goals and 11 assists in 46 league matches, but fans have expressed dissatisfaction with both his leadership and performance.
However, club legend Robinson is in stark contrast. He stated, "I cannot be sure that Saudi Arabia would pay the transfer fee that Tottenham desires. Moreover, Son Heung-min has tremendous commercial value. Even though he has one year left on his contract, he provides stability and leadership to the team. It wouldn’t be surprising if a one-year extension offer is made," concluding that selling Son Heung-min now would not be wise, acknowledging that the Saudi league is a growing league, not just a retirement stage.
In fact, Son Heung-min demonstrated his continued class by lifting the Europa League trophy last season with 11 goals and 11 assists in 46 matches. There is a tension between viewing him as the "last cash cow" with one year left on his contract and recognizing that he remains the face of the team and a symbol capturing the Asian market. There are also voices reminding us that we should not forget that Son Heung-min, wearing the captain's armband, was behind Tottenham lifting the trophy in Bilbao.
Ultimately, the choice lies with chairman Daniel Levy and the newly appointed manager Thomas Frank. Is it rebuilding or cashing out? Son Heung-min said after the match against Kuwait, "All possibilities are open," but has not yet given up on the English stage. This summer, as Saudi Arabia's golden love call clashes with Tottenham's contract renewal card, Son Heung-min's fate is once again becoming a hot topic in world football.
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