Saudi Arabia is preparing an all-time contract and preferential treatment to bring in Son Heung-min. However, Tottenham is still silent without any news of its renewal.
Young-gu’s Hotspur HQ reported on the 9th (Korea time) that “Tottenham superstar Son Heung-min attracted Saudi Arabia’s attention.”
Hotspur HQ stated, ‘Saudi Arabia is still considering signing Son Heung-min next summer. Son is one of five big-name players on the recruitment list for Saudi clubs, and they have stated that they want to improve their recruitment. Saudi Arabia is looking to sign Son for free, but Tottenham have the option to extend his contract until 2026. When Son turns 33 next summer, Tottenham will have to make a decision if a great offer comes through for one of Saudi Al-Hilal, Al-Nasr, Al-Itihad, and Al-Ahli.’
“However, sales are crazy even then. Even though Son is in his 30s, there is no price to his love for and leadership of the club and its fans. Son has shown consistent performance. He scored 17 goals last season and two goals in three matches this season. Son seems to be a player, not money. This is especially true considering the amount of money he has earned over the past 14 years. However, he can be lured by the unprecedented tax exemption and the amount of money he is offering.”
Son Heung-min had only left a message that he would dedicate himself to the team instead of talking about an extension contract with Tottenham. On the other hand, there had been only news that Tottenham would issue a one-year contract extension instead of signing a quick contract renewal with Son Heung-min, the team’s center and captain. Talk of renewal negotiations was extremely rare.
Considering Son Heung-min’s influence and achievements at Tottenham so far, renewing his contract is a natural step. Son Heung-min played 31 rounds of the league in the 2023-2024 season, and succeeded in playing 400 matches in 295 EPL games, 44 English Cup tournaments such as FA Cup and League Cup, and 61 UEFA club competitions such as Champions League. Since then, the number of matches has increased.
A total of 14 players have played in 400 matches since the foundation of Tottenham. Son Heung-min is the 14th player and the first non-European player to join the club. He is expected to be able to beat Maurice Norman (411 matches), John Pratt (415 matches), and Phil Beale (420 matches).
There are many records to remain at Tottenham in the future. The next record that Son Heung-min, who has reached the 400 game mark at Tottenham, can set is to break Martin Chivers’ record of 174 goals overall at Tottenham, which is the fourth highest scorer in the club’s history. He is also set to break his EPL record. Chances are high that he will become the first player in Tottenham’s history to join the EPL in the next season.
He also showed his side as a legend. In a recent interview, he said, “I still want to achieve something. It is not up to me to decide whether I will become a legend of this club or not. I will not call myself a legend because I still want to win here. That is why I am committed. I think our future is bright with coach Enze Postecoglou and this club. We have to continue to improve,” displaying his commitment to become a legend of the club without winning a championship.
However, there were outsiders who shook Son Heung-min. It was Saudi Arabia. Son has been drawing keen attention as rumors about him going to the Middle East have appeared steadily since last summer. Football Insider from the U.K. said, “Tottenham will not accept any offers for Son. Son is connected to Saudi clubs,” explaining Saudi Arabia’s interest and Tottenham’s attitude.
At the time, British media said, “Son Heung-min was named the top target of the Saudi club this summer, and contact and plans are underway to bring Son Heung-min after this season. I don’t know how everything will change, but Saudi Arabia’s interest seemed to be successful and reportedly handed over an annual salary offer of 25 million pounds (about 42 billion won),” adding that Saudi Arabia even prepared to offer a huge contract to bring Son Heung-min.
Rumors of a transfer to Saudi Arabia have emerged until recently, and some predicted that Son’s situation will depend on Tottenham’s willingness to renew his contract. “Saudi clubs are watching Son Heung-min,” the British cutoff side said on the 6th. “Son Heung-min has been rumored to be a transfer in recent months, and as his contract with Tottenham expires in 2025, Saudi clubs want to sign him through a free transfer. It will be interesting to see if Tottenham extends his contract. Son Heung-min is an indispensable asset for Tottenham, and it is a big blow to lose him,” he said. “Saudi Arabia is paying attention to Son again due to the stagnant contract renewal between Son Heung-min and Tottenham.”
Son’s choice is already known. He wants to stay at Tottenham Hotspur instead of moving to Saudi Arabia. His attitude was different from that of other players. Manchester City midfielder Kevin DeBrouchner also said that it is not easy to reject Saudi Arabia’s offer this summer. “I think I can make a lot of money if I play for Saudi Arabia for two years. Before that, I played soccer for 15 years and maybe I haven’t reached that amount yet,” he said. “Then I have to think about what that means,” adding that it is difficult to refuse because the amount of money that players receive is beyond imagination. On the other hand, Son has consistently expressed his affection for Tottenham and the English Premier League. 메이저사이트
When rumors of a transfer emerged in the A-match in June, Son Heung-min confessed his honest feelings, saying, “I have nothing to say yet. It is true that it is uncomfortable to go out with such a malfunction in a situation where there is no talk of going back and forth with the club.”
He then showed his affection for Tottenham. “I am always doing my best for Tottenham and I will continue to do my best. I have always said that I want to deliver achievements to Tottenham. This is a promise I made not only with myself but also with my fans, so I want to keep it. I don’t think we are in a situation where we can talk about signing a contract right now.” In a recent interview, he said that he could not be called a legend at Tottenham, leaving a statement as his club’s captain that he would definitely win the trophy.
Therefore, it is regrettable for Son Heung-min that the contract renewal is stagnant. Son Heung-min, who has played more than 400 games in Tottenham in the 2023-2024 season, has shown consistent loyalty and performance to the team. However, if it is natural to sell him or if he continues to be reluctant to renew his contract for a long time, Son Heung-min may also have other concerns about his situation. After all, if Tottenham is sluggish in contract renewal negotiations unlike Saudi Arabia, Son will be disappointed in the situation and can change his mind about the contract.
Meanwhile, news from a Tottenham reporter on the renewal of Son Heung-min and Tottenham also drew attention. When asked recently if Son will be offered an extension of his contract soon, Alasdier Gold, a Tottenham reporter for Football London, said, “I hope so. Tottenham knows how much Son Heung-min means to them. Even in his 30s, he is still a great player, the biggest star, and enjoys his role as captain. The club has an option to extend the contract for one year, but if both sides want, the contract will definitely be renewed,” adding that positive responses from both sides are needed to renew the contract between Tottenham and Son Heung-min. However, contrary to Son’s steady will to stay, Tottenham has not publicly expressed its will to renew the contract.
With Saudi Arabia’s tremendous courtship, Tottenham fans are increasingly worried about Son Heung-min’s situation. The only way to break the situation is to renew Son Heung-min’s contract.