Will Tottenham Hotspur step foot on Korean soil without 'Captain' Son Heung-min (33)? Claims have emerged that chairman Daniel Levy could sell him before next month's preseason tour.
According to Tottenham News on the 23rd (Korean time), "Tottenham is prepared to pay a buyout fee for the sale of Son Heung-min. Son Heung-min's potential departure from Tottenham could cause several issues for Chairman Levy."
The media noted, "After spending 10 years in North London, Son Heung-min may finally leave Tottenham this summer after winning a trophy. His chances of transferring currently stand at 50%. However, his departure from Tottenham is not that straightforward."
Son Heung-min's chances of leaving Tottenham this summer are increasing. His contract expires at the end of the 2025-2026 season. Since this represents Tottenham's last opportunity to sell Son Heung-min and secure a transfer fee, it is said that the club is willing to let him go if he wants to leave.
Particularly, Son Heung-min is once again receiving significant interest from Saudi Arabia. According to British journalist Ben Jacobs, Al Ahli, Al Nassr, and Al Qadisiya are preparing transfer fees of €40 million (63.4 billion won) and an annual salary of €30 million (47.5 billion won) to acquire Son Heung-min. The contract would be a massive deal worth €90 million (approximately 142.6 billion won) over three years just for wages.
However, projections indicate that if Son Heung-min leaves Tottenham, the timing of the transfer may not be until at least mid-August. According to The Times, Son is obliged to participate in a preseason friendly match against Newcastle hosted by Tottenham in Korea. It is reported that the contract with the organizers contains this stipulation.
Earlier, The Times reported, "Tottenham is willing to sell Son Heung-min. However, the possibility of selling him before departing for the preseason tour in Korea is almost non-existent." It was explained: "Tottenham activated the option to extend Son's contract until 2026 last January. The club wanted a longer contract due to his commercial value, but Son refused, and Tottenham extended it by one year to avoid losing him for free."
Tottenham will conduct a preseason tour next month, visiting Japan and Korea. A match against Newcastle is scheduled at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. For this reason, Tottenham cannot part ways with Son Heung-min just yet.
'BBC' also stated, "Son Heung-min's future with Tottenham remains uncertain. Several clubs in the Middle East are looking to seize this opportunity." It noted, "Sources suggest that Son could leave Tottenham before next season, but it is likely to be after the Asian tour. If he is not with the team, there is a risk of significant issues related to the tour organizers. Son will play a commercially important role in the Tottenham tour."
However, John Wenham, who is well-informed about Tottenham's internal affairs, expressed a different opinion. He said, "Son Heung-min is linked to several teams. If he heads to Saudi Arabia, the transfer fee will be around £50 million (approximately 92.6 billion won), and for other leagues, it will be around £30 million (approximately 55.5 billion won). If appropriate offers come in, Tottenham will be confident that they can pay the buyout fee if Son does not play in the match in Korea and finalize the contract."
Wenham also added, "The buyout fee could be around £2 million (approximately 3.7 billion won). In any case, if Tottenham receives a good offer that suits everyone, they may breach the contract and pay the penalty. I am confident that Tottenham will include that expense in Son Heung-min's transfer fee."
Ultimately, what matters is Son Heung-min's wishes. If he wants to quickly embark on a new challenge, there is a possibility that Tottenham could receive a buyout fee from the next team. Attention is focused on whether Son will once again don the Tottenham uniform to meet fans in Korea or wear the uniform of a different team.
For now, Tottenham News believes that Son Heung-min can still contribute to the team even if he stays at Tottenham. The media argued, "If Son leaves, Tottenham could secure a significant transfer fee. However, he can still be valuable next year."
Additionally, Tottenham News emphasized, "Tottenham may have to play over 50 matches next season, so squad depth is crucial. Son Heung-min has extensive experience in European competitions and is still a very good rotation option. Therefore, maintaining his captaincy during the last season could be beneficial for Tottenham."
[Photo] Tottenham News, Tottenham social media.
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