Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) is being linked with Turkish Süper Lig powerhouse Fenerbahçe.
The Spanish media outlet 'Pichajes' reported on the 15th (Korea time) that “Son Heung-min is preparing to leave Tottenham after winning the UEFA Europa League (UEL) in the 2024-2025 season. He is expected to receive an offer of €12 million (approximately 19 billion won)” from Fenerbahçe.
If Son Heung-min, who was a symbol of Tottenham, leaves the team, the club plans to reorganize the squad and give younger players more opportunities. Alasdair Gold, a journalist from 'Football London,' noted that “the future of Son Heung-min will be a priority once Thomas Frank takes over as manager of Tottenham. Since there is only one year left on the contract, a transfer could happen if favorable conditions are met for both sides.”
With one year left on his contract with Tottenham, Son Heung-min has also garnered interest from clubs in the Saudi Arabian Professional League, but he is known to prefer staying in Europe.
Seizing the opportunity, Fenerbahçe has started an active offensive.
Earlier on the 13th, Turkish media CNN reported that “Fenerbahçe has officially begun negotiations with Tottenham with the goal of acquiring Son Heung-min. Son Heung-min is willing to work with José Taxes. If the interests of both clubs align, the contract is likely to be concluded.”
Prominent Turkish journalist Yağız Şahinkoğlu stated that “Son Heung-min is open to a transfer to Fenerbahçe. The expected transfer fee is €30 million (approximately 47.3 billion won). If an agreement on the amount is reached, negotiations will advance further.”
Son Heung-min, who donned the Tottenham jersey in 2015, has achieved accolades such as the Premier League top scorer and UEL champion over the past 10 years. As his pursuit of new challenges unfolds, Fenerbahçe has surged as a potential destination.
Fenerbahçe is a prestigious club boasting 19 Turkish Süper Lig titles. Kim Min-jae (Napoli) also chose Fenerbahçe as his first team when he entered Europe.
This is not the first time there have been talks of Son Heung-min’s move to Fenerbahçe. Similar rumors emerged in December of last year.
It was because José Taxes, who had previously coached Tottenham, specifically wanted Son Heung-min.
During his tenure under Coach Taxes at Tottenham, Son Heung-min had a spectacular season, scoring 29 goals and assisting 25 in about 70 matches.
Taxed is considered one of the top coaches in Europe. He started his career at Benfica in 2000 and has since managed Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, earning the nickname 'The Special One.' He led Tottenham from November 2019 to April 2021 but was dismissed due to poor performance. However, the partnership in scoring and assisting between Harry Kane and Son Heung-min during that time was at the highest level. Notably, Son Heung-min recorded 17 goals and 10 assists in the 2020-2021 EPL season, joining the '10-10' club for the first time in his career.
Taxed expressed that he felt “a special emotion” when Son Heung-min crowned a UEFA title, indicating his ongoing affection for the player.
Meanwhile, Son Heung-min recently addressed transfer rumors after the June A-match against Kuwait, stating, "Both the fans and I are curious about my future. Rather than worrying about the future, it would be better to see what happens next. Regardless of where I play or what role I take on, my commitment to be prepared and put forth maximum effort remains unchanged. I will continue to do my best in any position I find myself in."
[Photo] Son Heung-min and José Taxes ⓒGettyimages (no unauthorized reproduction or redistribution)
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