Captain Son Heung-min's transfer rumors continue to swirl as Tottenham Hotspur officially began their preseason training. Under the new management of Thomas Frank, competition has already started intensely.
On the 8th (Korea time), Tottenham revealed the site of their first training for the 2024-2025 season on the club's official channel. The training ground saw Dominic Solanke, Pedro Porro, Lucas Bergvall, Jed Spence, and Yang Min-hyeok, who returned from loan, making an appearance. Additionally, Croatian prospect Luka Buskovic participated in first-team training, while Dejan Kulusevski was still undergoing indoor rehabilitation.
From the early stages of training, the intensity was beyond imagination. Running and fitness programs for recovery continued, and Yang Min-hyeok sat down on the field after running, catching his breath with a smile. Spence shook his head in disbelief at the training intensity.
Coach Frank smiled encouragingly at the struggling players, and Pedro Porro approached Yang Min-hyeok to chat and help him adapt to the team. Subsequently, the atmosphere heated up with passing drills and mini-games.
Yang Min-hyeok signed a contract with Tottenham last summer and was initially scheduled to join in January. However, at the club's request, he joined early in December and was officially registered. Unfortunately, he failed to make his first-team debut and was loaned to Queens Park Rangers (QPR) in the Championship, where he played 14 matches and scored 2 goals with 1 assist to gain practical experience.
This preseason is crucial for Yang Min-hyeok. If he doesn’t impress Coach Frank, another loan is inevitable. Alasdair Gold from Football London evaluated, "Yang Min-hyeok gained experience on the Championship stage, but he is still an unfinished talent. The possibility of a summer loan is high."
Son Heung-min and Cristian Romero did not participate in the first training. Players who completed international match schedules are expected to return to the team sequentially.
Son Heung-min's situation remains uncertain this summer. Rumors of transfers to Major League Soccer (MLS), Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have surfaced, but there has been no concrete progress. Son recently noted, "I have time left on my contract. I have to wait and see how the future unfolds."
Tottenham has extended their contract with Son Heung-min until June 2026; however, there is more weight placed on the possibility of a transfer or companionship until the contract expires rather than a renewal. Son is expected to join the team soon and have a direct meeting with Coach Frank, and this conversation is likely to be a decisive moment regarding his future.
Tottenham will embark on an Asian tour after preseason matches against Reading on the 19th and Luton Town on the 26th. They will face Arsenal in Hong Kong on July 31 and Newcastle United in Seoul on August 3. Afterward, they will return to Europe for a friendly against Bayern Munich on August 8, followed by a UEFA Super Cup clash with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on August 14 at the home ground of Udinese in Italy.
The Super Cup is a one-off match between the winners of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) and the Europa League (UEL). PSG has climbed to the top of the UCL for the first time since its founding, and Tottenham raised a trophy last season with their Europa League victory, marking a 17-year gap. Additionally, it was the first European trophy since winning the UEFA Cup in 1984.
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