(EXPOTS NEWS Reporter Kim Hyun-ki) Son Heung-min is once again at a crossroads.
Son Heung-min still dreams of accompanying Tottenham, but Tottenham seems to be stepping up their future plans after Son Heung-min.
He is also drawing a future relationship with Son. Nine years ago, he came to Korea at a discounted price of 40 billion won, and pocketed hundreds of billions of won in huge profits to his current team. Nevertheless, the British media believe Tottenham is bouncing its abacus to the end. This includes earning transfer fees through proper separation from Son.
Reports have emerged this month that Tottenham will end their current contract with Son Heung-min in June 2026.
It is not just a controversy over his contract. He is seeking to recruit a winger who will compete with Son in his mid-20s. Son is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
British media Sports Mall reported on Son Heung-min on the 11th (Korea Standard Time).
The media said, “Tottenham has also started recruiting 26-year-old winger Harvey Poir.” “Tottenham’s No. 1 priority is to secure the future of legendary Son Heung-min,” he said, announcing that Tottenham is poised to activate the option of a one-year extension attached to the current contract with Son Heung-min.
The English Football Fancast also helped. The media said on the 10th, “Tottenham will implement a one-year extension clause with Son Heung-min. The 32-year-old has been an amazing player for Tottenham, but Tottenham may say goodbye to him soon. Tottenham has a clause that allows Son to extend his contract for another year. Now they are preparing to invoke that clause.”
Football FanCast openly described Son as “the best source of income for Tottenham.” Even if it is true, he does not take into account Son’s dedication and hard work. Furthermore, he used a vicious expression, saying, “He is trying to activate his options so that he cannot transfer for free.”
Son Heung-min gave Tottenham hundreds of billions of won in economic power gains after coming to Tottenham in 2015 for a transfer fee of about 40 billion won, so no one will say anything if he moves to a free contract without paying Tottenham a transfer fee after the expiration of his contract next summer.
However, Tottenham, which is well versed in numbers, does not seem to intend to do so. It means that he will take care of the money through Son Heung-min until the end.
In fact, this is not the first time that Son Heung-min’s contract period has been extended using the supplementary provisions of the current contract.
From the 24th to the 25th of last month, influential media such as Football London, Evening Standard, and Guardian reported Tottenham’s activation of Son Heung-min’s contract option.
The Evening Standard reported at the time, “As Tottenham seeks to extend Son’s contract, Son Heung-min will mark his 11th season at the club.”
On the same day, Tottenham reporter Aless Control Gold of Football London made the same claim on his SNS.
Son Heung-min signed a new contract with Tottenham in the summer of 2021 that is valid until June 2025. It is the third contract written by Son Heung-min and Tottenham.
However, the contract reportedly includes an option to extend the contract period by one year until June 2026. In addition, it is widely believed that if Tottenham decides to extend it unilaterally, Son Heung-min will have no choice but to accept it.
With the contract nearing expiration, the media is believed to be planning to extend the contract period with Son Heung-min to 2026 by triggering an extension option.
Tom Barclay, a British “The Sun” member and Tottenham reporter, also said on SNS, “Tottenham is reportedly planning to activate their one-year extension option to hand over Son Heung-min’s contract to the summer of 2026.”
The British ‘Guardian’ also said, “Son Heung-min looked back on the contract situation after entering the last 12 months of his current contract at Tottenham,” adding, “Tottenham reportedly has the option to extend Son’s contract period by one more year and plans to activate it.”
Tottenham was expected to officially announce it soon because the influential media reported it all at once, but it has remained silent until the 20th. The media only mentioned Son Heung-min’s contract option activation once again.
However, the recent situation is somewhat strange. When asked about his renewal of contract at the end of last month, Son said, “I have had no conversations with the club twice.”
Son Heung-min was asked about his contract after attending a fan forum at the end of last month as captain and gave a detailed answer for the first time
“I’ve already answered this question,” Son said. “We don’t know our future in football. I still have a contract with Tottenham, and it’s already been 10 years since I played here. You can’t imagine how happy I would be at Tottenham. But our future in football is unknown, and I’m just focusing on this season. All I want is a win.”
“I want to see all of you smile even if I leave this club someday, and I want to see everyone talk about me as a legend,” he continued, adding that he hopes Tottenham fans remember him as a legend of the team even if he leaves Tottenham in any way.
Son Heung-min was asked the same question ahead of the UEFA Europa League match against Garabakh (Azerbaijan) on the 25th of last month.
Son Heung-min had no choice but to say, “We haven’t said anything yet,” and that he didn’t talk about the extension negotiations with the club even though the contract was approaching its expiration.
“What’s clear is that I’m very focused on this season,” he said. “At this age, every moment is the same as the goal, and I think I’m paying more attention to it because I’m participating in many competitions this season,” he said.
“I’m fully focused on this season and I want to win the championship that everyone in the club deserves,” he said. “I don’t know what will happen in the future, but 10 years later, I’ll give everything for this club.” He said he plans to do his best for the trophy.
In the end, it meant that there was nothing to discuss with the club about renewing the contract. Son Heung-min’s fate next summer has become a very curious issue for soccer fans around the world beyond 꽁머니.
Son Heung-min, who joined Tottenham in 2015, has played more than 400 games for Tottenham alone so far, scoring 164 goals