Will fans be able to see Son Heung-min captain Tottenham for many more years?
“Tottenham are in talks with Son Heung-min to extend his contract,” British outlet 90min reported on Nov. 21 (KST).
The Tottenham captain has been with the club for nine consecutive seasons, having joined the club ahead of the 2015/16 season. After struggling in his first season with the club, he was linked with a move to Wolfsburg in Germany, but was persuaded to stay by then-manager Mauricio Pochettino. He went from strength to strength, and before he knew it, he was named Tottenham’s 41st captain this season, his ninth with the club. This is the first time in the club’s 141 years of existence. He is the first player from outside of continental Europe to captain the club, but in just one month, he has transformed Tottenham under his leadership and helped guide the club to the top of the table.
Having signed a new four-year contract with Tottenham just before the 2021/22 season, Son is now guaranteed to be at Spurs for around two years until the summer of 2025.
With the departure of Harry Kane, Tottenham have been working quickly to re-sign Son, who has excelled in both the ace and captaincy roles of the team.
“Tottenham are reportedly looking to tie captain Son Heung-min to a new long-term deal, according to 90min. He is entering his ninth season at Spurs and is the club’s sixth all-time leading scorer. He has more than 18 months left on his contract, which runs until 2025, but Spurs are understood to have decided to offer him an extension,” the report said, breaking the news of Tottenham’s preparations to negotiate a new deal for Son Heung-min.
“According to reports, negotiations are expected to reach an agreement by Christmas, but it is also understood that the deal could be finalized in the coming weeks,” he added, suggesting that news of a new deal could come sooner than expected.
“Tottenham wanted to know how Ange Postecoglou and Son were getting on before discussing a new deal, and it seems that the two have a good relationship, which has allowed talks to move quickly,” the outlet said, explaining the close relationship between Postecoglou and captain Son.
According to reports, Postecoglou attended a recent Tottenham fan forum in England and was full of praise for Son. “I thought from the beginning that Sonny (Son’s nickname) would be a good captain,” Postecoglou said. “It was a very easy decision, because he’s a good player, but he also has a good rapport with the players and has spent a lot of time with the team,” he added.
“I’ve known Son Heung-min for a long time. I’m from Asia, and I’ve worked in Asia and seen his position. Everyone said they respected him. Whether it’s teammates or opponents, everyone really appreciated him,” he said, adding that he had good things to say about Son.
From Tottenham’s perspective, it’s never too early to consider re-signing Son. In addition to his versatility, Son has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia throughout this summer’s transfer window.
During last summer’s transfer window, some media outlets reported that “Saudi clubs will target several more names. They have already made a tentative list. The list includes Son Heung-min and Robert Lewandowski,” reporting on Son’s possible move to the Middle East next summer.
Some media outlets reported that “Son has been offered a contract by Saudi Arabian league side Al-Ittihad that includes a salary of around €30 million per season for four years. Son is a Saudi target for 2024 and work is reportedly already underway. Son will enter the final year of his contract with Tottenham in the summer of 2024, with some reports claiming that the South Korean is ready to leave the Premier League, and even revealing specific salary levels and plans.
However, Son dismissed speculation of a move to Saudi Arabia in pre-season, and has since reiterated his desire to stay at Spurs. “If I wanted to go (to Saudi Arabia), I wouldn’t be here. I love playing football. Money is important, but it’s a dream to play in the Premier League,” he said, referring to his desire to stay in the Premier League.
“It’s really interesting that so many people are going there. But the Premier League is still a dream for me, and I’m looking forward to this season,” he said, adding that he would rather stay in the Premier League than move to Saudi Arabia.
In response to Son’s comments at the Perth press conference, Tottenham fans said, “Make him captain, he wants to be at Tottenham,” and “We love him. We are lucky to have him in the team” and “He is every manager’s dream”. Son has since been named captain of the team for the 2023/24 season, filling the void left by Harry Kane.
In light of this, Tottenham are now preparing to tie him down to a long-term contract in order to close the door on the possibility of an exit.
Meanwhile, Son has shown both skill and leadership since being named Tottenham’s captain, and he has the support of the fans and players, so keeping him for the time being will help keep the team together.
In the last match against Sheffield Wednesday, Son looked to take care of Philippe Coutinho, who has been struggling with personal issues as of late.
“On the pitch, I’m a happy teammate,” he said in an interview with the Brazilian national team. I try to help as much as I can, but sometimes things don’t go the way we want,” he said, adding, “I think it’s the off-field aspects that have been holding me back. You want to do things right, but they end up going wrong. I will continue to focus on the club. The storm has passed,” he said.
He added: “I’ve had a turbulent time off the pitch in the last five months. Everything is back to normal now,” he said, adding: “All the people who were only interested in my money have left me. I’m sure things will go back to normal now and I’ll get a great opportunity at Tottenham and make things good again.”
“I’m going to go back to England and see a psychologist to get some psychological help,” he added, “and then I’ll come back stronger. I believe I will be in the next Brazilian national team. I will work for it,” he added.
When he returned to Tottenham and scored the winner, Son pushed him to the front of the line during the post-match celebration to help him receive the support of the fans.
In his post-match interview, Heung-min said, “I know he’s had a tough season and a tough time. But I’m very happy right now. I’m probably happier than him. We needed him as a team, he has really good qualities, and he’s very confident. I wanted to give him the big consolation that he deserves,” he said, adding that he was even happier for the Frenchman’s goal.바카라
“We celebrate because we are part of a family. He’s a strong player, he has a good character, he can always come back. But when it’s hard, you need good people around you. I will always try to be his friend and if he needs anything, I can help him with my experience or my play,” he added.
He also spoke about the team spirit within Tottenham following their recent run of form: “When someone falls behind, we all reach out to each other and everyone is willing to do that. It’s made us really strong as a team and as a squad. We’re getting really close, and hopefully we can get even closer,” he said, emphasizing that the squad is strong as a unit.
Tottenham fans responded to the interview with praise on social media, saying, “Son Heung-min you are a good captain and a good friend,” “He thinks about the team with all his heart,” “He is the best captain ever,” and “Son Heung-min is a true leader.”
With Son now the undisputed leader of the team, it will be interesting to see how his journey with Spurs continues this season.
Tottenham will host Arsenal in the North London derby in the sixth round of the Premier League on April 24 at 10 p.m. ET at the Emirates Stadium in London.