Shocking news has been reported that Tottenham Hotspur is considering selling Son Heung-min.
The Sun, a British media outlet, reported on the 29th (Korea Standard Time) that "Saudi professional league clubs are seeking to recruit Son Heung-min, Tottenham's flagship star," adding, "According to an insider of the club, Tottenham is open to the possibility of selling Son Heung-min if a large transfer fee offer is made this summer."
The media continued, "The Saudi side evaluates that Son Heung-min can be a key figure in league branding. He is one of the iconic stars with a huge fandom in Northeast Asia," adding, "In the beginning, Saudi Arabia aimed to recruit Mohamed Salah, but Salah chose to stay by choosing to renew his contract with Liverpool."
Saudi Arabia is bringing in Europe's best stars through aggressive recruitment strategies. In that respect, it is fully understood that Son Heung-min was targeted for recruitment.
However, the news that Tottenham left the possibility of Son Heung-min's sale open is somewhat shocking.
Son Heung-min was considered to be a symbol and legend of Tottenham, and the possibility of renewing his contract was high.
In fact, Pete O'Rourke, a reporter for the British media "Football Insider," said on the 25th, "There is a belief within Tottenham that Son Heung-min's rich experience will be of great help to the challenge of the UEFA Champions League next season." "Son Heung-min is still an important resource for Tottenham. He is the club's captain, and the club launched an option to extend his contract until 2026 in January. Son Heung-min's experience is an essential asset for the team ahead of the Champions League stage."
"He is the longest-serving Spurs player after Ben Davies," Tottenham's media "To the Rain and Back" reported. Of course, his performance this season was somewhat lackluster, and it is true that he left fans regretful. However, his abundant experience is a valuable asset for Tottenham," highly appreciating his chances of staying.
If Tottenham is actually considering selling Son Heung-min, it is a disappointing decision for fans.
In particular, in the process of winning the Europa League this season, Son Heung-min has established himself as the club's official legend by leading the team with the captain's armband.
Son Heung-min is just the third Tottenham captain in history to win a European match medal, matching Alan Mullally of the 1971/72 UEFA Cup and Steve Perryman of the 1983/84 UEFA Cup 안전놀이터. It was the first milestone in 41 years.
Tottenham also celebrated his dedication by posting a picture of Son Heung-min lifting the trophy on his official SNS and a message saying, "True Legend."
However, as Son Heung-min will soon turn 33 years old, the club may have judged that now is the time to receive the highest transfer fee.
"Son Heung-min's contract expires next summer," local media Spurs Web said on the 27th. "He is a symbol and legend of Tottenham, but he has not shown as much aggression as he did in the past this season. It is not realistic to renew the contract simply with respect, and it is not the right choice for the team to operate," he said, stressing that a realistic evaluation of Son's transfer possibility is needed.
From Son Heung-min's point of view, now that he has achieved everything at Tottenham, the huge salary and new challenges offered by Saudi Arabia can be attractive enough.