Tottenham Hotspur's farewell message to Son Heung-min (33) is cold and unfeeling.
The British outlet 'Football London' reported on the 27th (Korean time), "Son Heung-min's transfer dilemma - should Tottenham keep the captain? Or should they sell him?" What’s shocking is that in a local poll, more than half of the fans argued that Son Heung-min should leave the team.
Son Heung-min has recorded 7 goals and 13 assists in the Premier League this season. Looking at the statistics alone, it seems decent, but former Tottenham commentator Jamie O'Hara has repeatedly criticized Son Heung-min throughout the season, saying, "Merely having statistics is not enough. Leadership is shaky and influence has diminished." O'Hara even stated earlier in the season, "The Son Heung-min we knew is over."
Now comparisons have been brought up. O'Hara said, "Just like Giggs in the past, Son Heung-min also needs to change his playing style. But whether that's possible is questionable." Giggs transitioned from a winger to a midfielder and had a successful late career. He posed the question of whether the same transition is possible for Son Heung-min.
In reality, Tottenham is facing a period of great upheaval. They raised the UEFA Europa League trophy in the 2024-2025 season but parted ways with manager Ange Postecoglou. The British outlet 'Telegraph' exclusively reported, "Tottenham is facing a rebellion from players. Just 16 days after winning the Europa League, Australian manager Postecoglou was brutally fired, igniting outrage among Tottenham players.
The media reported, "Postecoglou's dismissal has sparked anger among many Tottenham players. Some players wish to leave the team. According to sources, the next manager will face significant difficulties in managing the collapsed locker room," and added, "Son Heung-min has given some teammates and coaching staff the impression that he may leave Tottenham this summer. Saudi Arabia is showing interest in him."
In fact, Son Heung-min's contract with Tottenham expires at the end of the upcoming 2025-2026 season. Instead of proposing a contract renewal, Tottenham has only activated the one-year extension option. This has left the door open for transfer rumors. He had indicated last month that he wanted to leave Tottenham legendary status after lifting the UEFA Europa League (UEL) trophy, suggesting he might be open to new challenges.
Originally, there were reports that Tottenham would push to sell Son Heung-min after the Korean tour. In fact, Tottenham has made a significant profit in Korea from Son Heung-min's marketing over the past few years. Each time in 2022 and 2023, they enjoyed full houses, advertising revenue, and broadcasting rights, fully experiencing the 'Son Heung-min effect.' The two-shot of Kane and Son, and the match-up with Kim Min-jae were guaranteed box office hits.
However, this time is different. The transfer rumors surrounding Son Heung-min remain constant. Multiple clubs from Saudi Arabia are interested in acquiring him, and Tottenham has attached a price tag of £100 million (approximately 185.1 billion won). The issue is the timing of the transfer. If Son Heung-min heads to Saudi Arabia before August 3, the many fans who bought tickets to see the matches would feel that they have genuinely suffered a loss.
Some media outlets have claimed that Tottenham is trying to sell Son Heung-min quickly, even if it means paying a buyout fee. As anyone knows, the biggest reason Son Heung-min has been able to visit Korea three times in the past four years is because of his presence. The bigger problem is that Tottenham is leveraging Son Heung-min to open up Korean fans' wallets, even though they are aware of this situation.
Most notably, newly appointed manager Thomas Frank has not even mentioned Son Heung-min's name in interviews, clearly creating an atmosphere. Captain Son Heung-min's presence has nearly vanished even in the new uniform introduction video. He appeared for barely a second in the over 70-second video. This signals that Son Heung-min is no longer the 'face' of the team.
Above all, the atmosphere of 'let's sell him while we can' is openly spreading both inside and outside the club. The results of local opinion polls are quite shocking and symbolic. Among the respondents, 57% supported Son Heung-min's transfer, while 22% were conditionally in favor. Only 21% supported his absolute retention.
The internal situation at Tottenham is not much different. News has emerged that new manager Thomas Frank has excluded Son Heung-min from next season's starting plans, and indeed, his name is absent from the list of key players. This shows that Son Heung-min remains not as a key tactical axis but merely as a commercial image.
Tottenham is planning to thoroughly utilize Son Heung-min's marketing value. In the pre-season friendly match and the Asia tour to be held in Seoul in August, he will be used as the 'representative face.' His involvement has already been planned for various events and content, and the club is reportedly determined to discuss a transfer only after completing this schedule. This implies that while Son Heung-min is no longer included in the team's future, he will still be used as a revenue-generating tool until the end.
The problem is that such a cold treatment undermines not only the respect for Son Heung-min personally but also the trust with fans. Fans want a better farewell for him, whom they call 'the heart of Tottenham.' Media play suggesting phrases like, "The expiration date has passed," and "Saudi Arabia is an appropriate destination" shows a lack of basic respect for a legend who has been loyal to the team more than anyone else.
What decision will Son Heung-min ultimately make? Whether he leaves or stays, it should be a beautiful farewell and he should be respected no matter what. However, Tottenham currently does not respect Son Heung-min as a player or as a person. He is merely seen as an 'asset to be sold while it can be sold.' And what remains behind this cold calculation is evidence of why Tottenham is not a big club.
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