Tottenham may sell Son Heung-min before Asia tour amid Saudi interest

Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) could leave the team before Tottenham's Asia tour this summer, according to local speculation.

Tottenham news outlet 'Tottenham Hotspur News' reported on the 23rd (Korea time) that "Tottenham may transfer Son Heung-min before the Asia tour. They could execute the transaction even at the cost of a penalty fee."

John Wenham, the operator of Tottenham fan site 'Lilywhite Rose,' estimated the penalty fee at about $2 million (approximately 3.7 billion won) in an interview with the media. He said, "If a good offer comes in, Tottenham will take on the penalty burden of Son Heung-min not participating in the Korean tour match."

He also mentioned regarding Son Heung-min's value that "if a Saudi Arabian club approaches, the transfer fee could be between $50 million and $60 million (approximately 92.4 billion won to 110.9 billion won). If it's a transfer within Europe, it would be around $30 million."

Tottenham will face Arsenal in Hong Kong on July 31 and Newcastle United at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 3. This is part of the Asia tour schedule ahead of the new season.

This visit to Korea will be the third, following those in 2022 and 2024. This shows the significant influence that Son Heung-min has on domestic fans. However, if the transfer materializes before the tour, the promotional power could drop sharply.

It cannot be ruled out that the organizers included Son Heung-min's participation in the contract terms. Therefore, even if the transfer is actually pursued, it is highly likely that the schedule will be adjusted after the Asia tour.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on the 18th that "Son Heung-min could leave the team before the start of next season. However, even if a transfer occurs, Tottenham will adjust the schedule after the Asia tour," and predicted that "if Son Heung-min does not participate in the tour, a conflict with the organizers could arise. Tottenham will seek to avoid such situations."

[OSEN]