Is this right? The treatment of Son Heung-min (33) by Tottenham has come under scrutiny.
Tottenham Hotspur has effectively excluded the club's symbol and captain, Son Heung-min (33), from future plans. Under the newly appointed manager Thomas Frank, the club is focused on reshaping its young and dynamic attacking lineup.
With the addition of promising players like Mattheus Tel and Mohammed Kudus to the transfer list, Son Heung-min's position is gradually becoming more precarious.
In fact, recent British media reports suggest that Son Heung-min's name is absent from the predicted best eleven for Tottenham under Frank's management for the 2025-2026 season.
Under manager Frank's 4-2-3-1 system, Tel has established himself as the starter on the left wing, with Kudus, Solomon, and Moore all competing for the other wing positions. Now, Son Heung-min has been thoroughly excluded from the club's future.
Nonetheless, Tottenham is actively utilizing Son Heung-min. He has been chosen as the model for the new season's uniform and is expected to participate in a preseason friendly match at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Local media reports suggest that there is a strategic judgment to maximize "Son Heung-min's marketability and Asian fan base before organizing his departure in the summer transfer market."
In short, the duality of utilizing the club's symbol as merely a "marketing tool" has come under scrutiny. However, prevailing public opinion holds that Son Heung-min is a player who does not deserve such treatment.
Since joining Tottenham in the summer of 2015, Son Heung-min has established himself as the club's symbol for nearly a decade. He has set numerous records, including 100 goals in the Premier League, being the first Asian player to win the top scorer title, and reaching the UEFA Champions League final in the 2022-2023 season.
Last season, he captained the team and lifted the first European trophy in Tottenham's history.
Having already played in 400 Premier League matches and scoring over 160 goals, Son Heung-min has attained legendary status in the club. Unlike Harry Kane and Kyle Walker, who left the team, he has remained until the end.
Despite numerous transfer rumors, he has stayed with the team, saving them with decisive goals during crises. Son Heung-min is regarded not merely as a "star player" but as a symbol of Tottenham's history and culture.
Nevertheless, Tottenham is preparing to part ways with Son Heung-min. Local media such as Football London report, "Now is the most appropriate time for both parties to go their separate ways," indicating that Son Heung-min's departure is a foregone conclusion.
After lifting the trophy for the first time on the European stage last season and rewriting the club's history, what Son Heung-min received in return is merely the justification for parting ways and exploiting his marketability.
Despite ongoing interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United States, Tottenham has postponed decisions regarding Son Heung-min's future until after discussions with manager Frank. The club's cold calculations and disrespectful approach to parting ways have resulted in treatment of a legend who has dedicated a long time to the club.
Tottenham is excluding Son Heung-min from future planning and preparing for a farewell after merely capitalizing on his marketability. Criticism is rising against the club's attitude in preparing a disrespectful departure for a player who has devoted a long time to the team.
There are concerns about whether it is truly normal to send off the club's symbol in this manner.
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