Tottenham has reportedly set the transfer fee for Son Heung-min (33) at £25 million (approximately 46.2 billion won).
The British media outlet 'Football Insider' reported on the 10th (Korean time) that "if an offer of £25 million comes in for Son Heung-min, Tottenham is likely to accept it. They could proceed with transfer negotiations regardless of the new coach Thomas Frank's intentions."
Son Heung-min, who will turn 33 next month, has recently begun to show a sharp decline in performance on the Premier League stage.
In the 2024-2025 season, he made 46 appearances across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and providing 12 assists. Known as the team captain and top earner, Son Heung-min has been evaluated as contributing less to the team since the end of last year.
Son Heung-min, who is contracted with Tottenham until June 2026, has consistently been the subject of transfer rumors. The Saudi Arabian league, along with Turkey's Fenerbahçe and Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, has been mentioned as potential destinations for him.
Financial expert Stephan Borson noted in an interview with 'Football Insider' that "it is a very realistic scenario for Son Heung-min to head to Saudi Arabia. £25 million is a reasonable amount considering Son's age and salary. It is likely a figure that Daniel Levy, Tottenham's chairman, would prefer. It would also be an attractive offer for Son Heung-min."
Borson continued, "Son Heung-min is a player who incurs a lot of expense to the club. It's uncertain how much he can contribute next season. There aren't many teams outside of Saudi Arabia that can afford Son Heung-min's salary."
Tottenham could lose its commercial influence in the Korean market if Son Heung-min leaves. Last summer, the acquisition of a promising young player from Korea was analyzed by 'Football Insider' as a strategy to maintain that continuity.
However, Borson pointed out that "keeping Son Heung-min merely as a mascot for the Korean market would be a flawed approach. From a football perspective, now may be the time to part ways."
Despite Borson's remarks, it seems that the uncomfortable coexistence between Son Heung-min and Tottenham will continue for the time being for 'marketing reasons.'
The British media outlet 'Football London' reported on the 21st that "the situation surrounding Son Heung-min and Tottenham is awkward. At this point, with no contract extension taking place, neither Son Heung-min, Tottenham, nor the newly appointed coach Thomas Frank are showing clear positions."
Son Heung-min is scheduled to join Tottenham's Asia tour, starting with a preseason match against Arsenal in Hong Kong on July 31.
He will also visit Korea. Tottenham will play a friendly match against Newcastle United in the Coupang Play Series at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 3.
The BBC analyzed that "since Son Heung-min's participation directly relates to revenue, it is highly likely that the club will temporarily hold off on his transfer."
'Football London' also stated that "if Son Heung-min is absent, it is inevitable that there will be a significant impact on entertainment in Korea. Tottenham is not likely to accept a decrease in revenue as a result of this," predicting that no clarity regarding Son Heung-min's situation will emerge before his trip to Korea.
Furthermore, it added that "there is another Korean player named Yang Min-hyeok at Tottenham, but it is difficult to expect a recognition level similar to that of Son Heung-min."
In other words, since there is currently no 'superstar' of Son Heung-min's caliber at Tottenham, he will certainly be with the club until the Asia tour. This means that the 'uncomfortable coexistence' will continue at a time when his future has not been confirmed.
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) also experienced a similar situation in the past. Just before the 2023-2024 season, he participated in Tottenham's summer tour but avoided interview requests and was cautious in official events. 'Football London' described the atmosphere at the time, saying, "Kane participated in team activities even while facing a transfer, but he maintained silence throughout."
[OSEN]