Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) was not mentioned.

The British Football London reported on the 19th (Korea time) that "Thomas Frank, the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur, did not mention Son Heung-min and Cristian Romero's names during his first official interview since taking office, raising fans' and local media's interest in the future whereabouts of the two stars."

Tottenham raised the trophy after defeating Manchester United 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League final held at the Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain, on 22nd May. This ended Tottenham's 17-year trophy drought since the 2007-2008 League Cup, and Son Heung-min also embraced his first major trophy of his personal career, washing away the disappointment of the 2019 Champions League runner-up.

Having prevented Manchester United's onslaught until the last moments of the match and keeping a clean sheet for 7 minutes of stoppage time, Tottenham confirmed their first Europa League title in club history. This was the first trophy earned under Manager Ange Postecoglou, fulfilling the promise of 'a trophy in the second year' that he had emphasized since his early tenure.

Tottenham made a bold decision. The result of 22 losses out of 38 league matches was not sufficient to cover the single achievement of the Europa League victory, and ultimately, the club chose to part ways with Postecoglou. Subsequently, Tottenham began a new project by appointing Frank, who successfully led Brentford.

Son Heung-min and Romero, who were key figures in the team leadership group under former manager Postecoglou, are currently facing the possibility of not remaining with Tottenham for the 2025-2026 season. Romero has been consistently linked with a move to Atlético Madrid, while Son Heung-min has attracted interest from Turkey's Fenerbahçe and Saudi Pro League teams. Although Son's contract remains until the summer of 2026, there are discussions about Tottenham possibly cashing in as there is only one year left.

In this context, Manager Frank addressed several topics in a recent club official interview, but notably there was no mention of Son Heung-min and Romero.

He first explained his philosophy, saying, "I believe in the phrase 'Not taking risks is itself a risk.' We must take risks. For example, in certain situations, attempting man-to-man defense or choosing forward passes aggressively is also taking risks," he emphasized. He added, "If the result is an attempt, even if we lose the ball, that is fine. But if we do not try, I find that hard to endure."

He also stated, "I think we have a really talented squad. I am very excited to work with this team. Having watched the Premier League, I am aware of the wonderful games these players have shown over the years," he said. He continued, "Now I want to meet the squad I've only seen from the outside, feel them, understand relationships, and build real understanding through training."

Subsequently, the club's questioner seemed to have continued asking about individual players, and Frank directly mentioned three experienced players. He noted, "The 'talent' I speak of does not just mean young players but also includes experienced players. I highly value Dominic Solanke's ability and will help him score many goals. I am also considering how to play with Rodrigo Bentancur and James Maddison."

Regarding young prospects, he said, "There are many players with great potential, including Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert, and Destiny Udogie. Many other players not mentioned by name are also promising, and the entire squad is something to look forward to."

Football London highlighted, "Here, Son Heung-min and Romero were not mentioned. The absence of mention for both players is even more noticeable as they played key roles in leadership and performance under Postecoglou."

Of course, it is difficult to definitively conclude a transfer just because they were not mentioned by name. In this regard, Football London pointed out, "Son Heung-min and Romero have already reached world-class status, so Manager Frank may not have mentioned them individually." However, it also stated, "Especially considering that Son Heung-min and Romero are iconic figures for the club, Frank's failure to mention them could be seen as a signal that there have been internal discussions about the possibility of their transfers."

Meanwhile, Tottenham has been actively moving since the early part of this summer's transfer market. They have completed the permanent signing of Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel, and the possibility of signing Bryan Mbeumo has been continuously discussed. This suggests potential changes to the team's attacking lineup.

Ultimately, under Manager Thomas Frank, Tottenham is facing two major turning points: squad restructuring and tactical revamping. In this process, the fates of Son Heung-min and Romero are expected to be crucial factors that go beyond mere transfers, shaping the team's identity and direction.

[OSEN]