Thomas Frank (52), the Tottenham Hotspur manager, has been reported to still respect Son Heung-min (33) as the club's captain. However, it has also been noted that competition for Son's starting position is expected to become increasingly intense.
The British media 'TBR Football' reported on the 16th (Korean time) that "Frank has confidence in Son Heung-min's leadership and is willing to utilize him as a squad member next season."
According to the report, Frank has directly requested club chairman Daniel Levy to keep Son Heung-min, and Chairman Levy is said to respect the player's wishes, leaning towards keeping him rather than pursuing a transfer.
Last season, Son Heung-min lifted a trophy that will be remembered in club history by winning the UEFA Europa League as team captain. Despite fluctuations in performance, he proved his value by recording 10 goals and 11 assists. Son Heung-min has recently returned to training, seriously preparing for the 2025-2026 season.
On the other hand, there is an interpretation that Son Heung-min's position is not very stable.
The media reported, "Frank has acquired Mathys Tel for about £30 million (approximately 55.8 billion won) this summer. Tel, who showed impressive performances in the European U-21 Championship, is a resource that Frank specifically requested and is a potential competitor who may threaten Son Heung-min's starting position. Players like Mikey Moore and Richarlison are also looking for opportunities to play on the left flank."
Frank has experience in enhancing the potential of young offensive talents like Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney, and Bryan Mbeumo during his time at Brentford. It is reported that he is expecting similar synergy through collaboration with Tel this time.
Although there were discussions about a transfer of Son Heung-min to LA FC in the United States, there has been no concrete progress, and the transfer fee set by Levy (approximately £55 million, about 102.4 billion won) is not considered realistic. Son Heung-min is still evaluated as a figure of high commercial value for Tottenham.
As a result, Son Heung-min is highly likely to remain with Tottenham for the new season, but competition for a starting position is expected to become even more intense. Frank still considers Son Heung-min the team's spiritual center and plans to assign him an important role. However, whether that role will be as a 'starter' may vary depending on the results of preseason competition.
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