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AFP Yonhap News
[스포츠조선 이현석 기자] Tottenham captain Son Heung-min is preparing to dedicate himself to Tottenham until the end of his career.
On the 15th (hereinafter Korean time), England’s Team Talk reported the news of Son Heung-min’s contract renewal preparations, saying, ‘Tottenham’s best player is preparing to sign a huge contract that will entrust the remainder of his career to Tottenham.’
“); Team Talk said, ‘Son Heung-min wants to commit the rest of his career to Tottenham, and Tottenham are preparing to offer a new contract that includes a huge salary increase. Son Heung-min’s contract could see him spend the rest of his career at Tottenham. He appears to be keen on signing a coalition. Son Heung-min is known to have the will to play a key role not only in the present but also in Tottenham’s long-term future,” he said, adding that both Son Heung-min and Tottenham are active in extending their contracts. AFP Yonhap News Son Heung-min Min has already been known to have been preparing to sign a new contract with Tottenham since last September. British media reported that ‘Tottenham is reportedly exploring ways to tie captain Son Heung-min to a new long-term contract. He is in his 9th season at Tottenham. He is ranked 6th among the club’s all-time scorers. Son Heung-min signed a contract until 2025 and has more than 18 months left to renew his contract, but Tottenham reportedly decided to offer him an extension,’ he said, referring to the news of Son Heung-min’s contract renewal negotiations. I told you.
Regarding the timing of the conclusion of the negotiations, it was reported that ‘according to the news, the negotiations are expected to reach an agreement by Christmas, but it has been reported that the negotiations may be concluded within a few weeks.’ However, with Christmas just around the corner, news of Son Heung-min’s contract renewal reappeared and Son Heung-min’s contract renewal was announced. The possibility that Min will remain at Tottenham appears to be increasing.
At the time, the biggest reason for renewing Son Heung-min’s contract was that Tottenham wanted to know how manager Angie Postekoglou and Son Heung-min were doing before discussing a new contract, and the conversation about renewing the contract was able to proceed quickly as the two formed a good relationship. ‘I can see it,’ he said, explaining that the relationship between coach Postekoglou and Son Heung-min had a great influence.
AFP Yonhap News
Considering Son Heung-min’s leadership as captain and performance as a striker this season, Tottenham’s offer to renew his contract is a natural step.
Son Heung-min was appointed as Tottenham’s captain ahead of this season. It was a choice made by coach Postecoglou who wanted to fill the leadership vacuum caused by the transfer of Harry Kane and the possible transfer of Hugo Lloris. Son Heung-min is the 41st captain of Tottenham, which was founded in 1882. And he is the first captain of a player outside the European continent.
Tottenham had Bobby Buckle appointed as its first captain in 1882, followed by English players such as Jack Joule and Stanley Briggs. In 1897, Jack Jones from Wales was selected as captain, becoming the first non-English captain. However, it has been 132 years since the left forearm armband was allowed for non-British players. Until 2014, Tottenham had 38 team captains, all of whom were British nationals, including 26 from England, 7 from Scotland, 3 from Wales, and 2 from Northern Ireland. This also means that it was difficult to become the focal point of the team if you were not from England. In 2014, France national team member Younes Kabul was selected as captain, and two years later, French national team goalkeeper Lloris was appointed captain and played for seven years. And Son Heung-min showed off his spirit by becoming the first non-European player to become Tottenham captain. Tottenham is entering a new era with an Asian player serving as both coach and captain.
Tottenham’s appointment of Son Heung-min as captain received a great response. In the 2010s, he played as Tottenham’s leading player next to Kane, and received the highest praise for his personality, so he was recognized as captain both inside and outside of Tottenham. Son Heung-min said on the club’s website: “It’s a great honor to be captain of this huge club. It’s a big surprise and a very proud moment. I’ve already told the players that everyone should feel like the captain, both on and off the pitch. New season, new start. “I will give everything for this uniform and armband,” he said.
Coach Postekoglou also commented on Son Heung-min’s appointment as captain, saying, “Everyone knows that Son Heung-min is world class. He has tremendous respect from everyone in the locker room. He transcends the group within the squad,” adding, “He is not just popular.” “It is because of what he has achieved here and in games as the captain of the Korean national team,” he said, explaining that Son Heung-min is worthy of being a captain in terms of skill, personality, leadership and experience.
AFP Yonhap News Even before being appointed captain, coach Postekoglou did not stop praising Son Heung-min. Coach Postekoglou praised Son Heung-min’s leadership several times. He said, “I am looking forward to working with Son Heung-min,” and praised Son Heung-min’s leadership, saying, “I think he is a player who shows the qualities of a true leader.”
Regarding Son Heung-min’s influence within the team, he said, “In my view, he is like a conduit for the entire team. He is mixed into every group, but I don’t think it is just because he is popular. He has a certain standing because of what he has done in the game.” “It’s good to see the influence he has on the group, and I’m not surprised that his influence is big because I know he’s been a leader and an icon for his country. He’s got a lot of respect among the players,” Son Heung-min explained. He expressed admiration for the impact he had on the team.
Son Heung-min was also active as captain of the national team. Son Heung-min took over the armband in the 2018 Russia World Cup group stage match against Germany when then-captain Ki Sung-yong was absent due to injury. Under the leadership of Son Heung-min, Korea came together and defeated Germany, ranked number one in the world, causing a historic upset in World Cup history. Son Heung-min also received Joo Se-jong’s long pass in the extra time of the second half, sprinted forward, and scored into the goal, giving Korea a 2-0 victory. Son Heung-min later became the official captain when coach Paulo Bento was appointed to the Korean national team. At last year’s World Cup in Qatar, despite suffering a facial fracture, he wore a mask and led Korea to the round of 16 in Korea’s second World Cup away tournament. Son Heung-min also showed off a 70-meter dribble in the final group match against Portugal, assisting Hwang Hee-chan’s winning shot and becoming the best helper in the round of 16.
Son Heung-min, who started his first season as captain, was able to fill the void left by Tottenham after Harry Kane transferred this season, showing his influence at the front line. Starting with the 4th round match against Burnley this season, Son Heung-min has played as a frontline striker and is responsible for Tottenham’s goals. Son Heung-min completely erased his poor performance from last season by scoring a hat-trick against Burnley, including the goal of the season. Son Heung-min, standing in the center, spread his wings wide. In the 16th minute of the first half when the team was behind 0-1, they received a pass from left wing striker Manor Solomon and scored the equalizer with a chip shot over the key in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper. Afterwards, he completed a hat trick by adding two goals in the second half, completely dispelling the disappointment of not scoring in the previous three rounds. In the subsequent match against Sheffield, he was goalless, but he scored once again in the match against Arsenal.
AFP Yonhap News Son Heung-min played a big role in helping the team get one point in the away game against Arsenal, scoring twice to balance the score every time the team conceded a goal. His scoring continued. Son Heung-min, who played as a lone striker again against Liverpool, passed in the 36th minute of the first half when Maddison confirmed Richarlison’s penetration, and Richarlison crossed, but Son Heung-min, who was rushing in front of the goal, easily turned it around and put it in Liverpool’s net. shook it. Son Heung-min, living up to Coach Postekoglou’s trust, showed off his performance by scoring 6 goals in 3 of the 4 games in September in which he played as a frontline striker. Afterwards, Son Heung-min played as a lone striker in the match against Luton Town, and although he had no attacking points, he helped the team attack with consistent forward pressure.
Son Heung-min, who had not scored in early October, showed his scoring instinct again in the match against Fulham after the October international match period. In the 36th minute of the first half, Vander Pen intercepted a pass from in front of the opponent’s penalty box, and Richarlison passed it to Son Heung-min, who was in front of the box. Son Heung-min immediately turned around between the defenses and hit Fulham’s net with a sharp right-footed kick. Son Heung-min and Richarlison teamed up to score once again following the previous match against Liverpool. In the subsequent match against Palace, he scored the winning goal, leading the team to a 10-game undefeated streak.
Silence came. It all started with Madison’s departure due to injury. As Maddison was sidelined due to injury after the Chelsea game, Son Heung-min was silent for three consecutive games. During the same period, Tottenham also collapsed after conceding multiple goals after the first goal and allowing come-from-behind goals in three consecutive games. Son Heung-min, who is on the front line, is often seen isolated, and it was expected that Madison would face difficulties until his return.
In the end, Tottenham collapsed again in the Aston Villa and West Ham games, and Son Heung-min did not spare any bitter words as captain. Speaking after the Aston Villa game, he said: “I’m really sorry to the fans. Losing three games in a row is obviously not the way we want to go and the fans can’t believe it, but I feel a strong sense of responsibility for next weekend. As captain, I will do everything I can to win this game. “I can say we did our best. It was difficult to create opportunities as the game progressed, but I think we did our best,” he said, apologizing to the fans.
“I think we need to control the game more, especially when we’re up 1-0. We’ve made a few mistakes this season in 1-0 situations. We’ve played a little slow, conceded goals and lost the game. “We delayed the game and lost the tempo. We also gave Aston Villa a chance to take control of the game, and I think we need to be stronger than we are today in the set pieces before halftime,” he said, adding about what to watch out for when the team takes the lead with the first goal. He didn’t spare any criticism either.
AFP Yonhap News The bitter criticism continued even after the West Ham game. Son Heung-min said, “Whether Tottenham is a better team or not has no meaning. Losing the game is unacceptable. As a player, you must take responsibility. In particular, strikers must feel responsible for the plays that ruin the game.” He emphasized the reform of the players, including himself. Instead of such a disappointing interview, Son Heung-min gave an interview in which he expressed his joy after this big win, and it seems that fans will be satisfied.
Even in a situation where the team was struggling with 1 draw and 4 losses just before the Newcastle match, Son Heung-min’s performance led to victory. Son Heung-min, who returned as a left winger instead of a top-line player after 13 games against Newcastle, led Tottenham’s attack with sharp movements from the side. Son Heung-min assisted Destiny Udoji’s first goal in the 26th minute of the first half. After receiving U Do-ji’s pass, Son Heung-min dribbled directly past Trippier. Udoji, who received a pass after Son Heung-min’s breakthrough, lightly pushed the ball in front of the goal, scoring the team’s first goal and his first goal for Tottenham. In the 38th minute of the first half, he even assisted Richarlison to score, accumulating 2 assists in the first half alone. Son Heung-min, who received a pass from Poro, once again shook Trippier with a dribble breakthrough. Son Heung-min beat Trippier and sent a ground ball cross in front of the goal, but Richarlison shook the Newcastle net with a shot that only changed direction in front of the goal.
Tottenham shook up the space behind Newcastle’s defense with a counterattack. In the 13th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min used his speed to break through the Newcastle defense. In order to avoid conceding a goal to Son Heung-min, Russelless had no choice but to commit a foul. Afterwards, Tottenham eventually succeeded in scoring an additional goal in the 15th minute of the second half. Romero’s pass was accurately delivered to Richarlison, and in a one-on-one opportunity with the goalkeeper, Richarlison neatly scored a left-footed shot into the goal.
In the 37th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min scored himself. While receiving Lo Celso’s pass in the box, he collided with Dubravka and was awarded a penalty kick. Son Heung-min, who played as a kicker, hit the net with an accurate shot even though Dubravka read the direction. Tottenham, who scored 4 goals with Son Heung-min, won 4-1.
After the win against Newcastle, Son Heung-min said, “The coach wanted to play with a slightly different idea today, to go deeper into the back space and try to throw more quality balls into the box. Richarlison played really well in the box. “I think he’s better than me in the box. Richarlison was the right striker for the position today,” he said, praising his teammate Richarlison for his performance and enjoying the victory.
AFP Yonhap News Son Heung-min scored 1 goal and 2 assists against Newcastle, reaching the 10-goal mark in the league this season. Son Heung-min recorded double-digit league goals and became the player to score more than 10 goals in the Premier League for eight consecutive seasons since the 2016-2017 season. This record was achieved by a total of 7 players, including Son Heung-min, and the players named along with Son Heung-min are all great players who left their names in Premier League history. Former teammate Harry Kane, Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), and Sadio Mane (Liverpool) are players who have scored their 10th league goal for 8 consecutive years. It was brought in.
If Son Heung-min scores double-digit scores in the upcoming 2024-2025 season, he will tie with Kane and Aguero, who have scored double-digit scores for 9 consecutive seasons. The player who recorded the record for 10 consecutive seasons is Lampard, and Rooney maintained the record for 11 consecutive seasons. Considering that Son Heung-min only scored 4 goals and 1 assist in the 2015-2016 season, which was his EPL debut season, and even considered returning to the Bundesliga, his current record can be seen as the result of tremendous progress. Son Heung-min, who persevered through his first season, performed steadily the following season, starting with 14 league goals, and won the Golden Boot (Premier League top scorer) with 23 goals in the 2021-2022 season. Last season, he only scored 10 goals due to poor performance and injuries, but this season, he scored his 10th goal in the 16th round and is on pace to be the leading scorer again.
It is a tremendous performance that can be compared to when he won the top scorer award in the 2021-2022 season. Son Heung-min, who has already scored 10 league goals, ranks third in scoring after Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah and is considered one of the leading scorer candidates. He overcame last season’s slump and perfectly returned to the forefront of Tottenham’s attack.
Spurs Web said, ‘Son Heung-min made history against Newcastle by recording the most assists in Tottenham’s Premier League era. After some frustration over the past few weeks, he was back to his best attacking and energetic form against Newcastle. He recorded two assists against Newcastle, meaning he has provided the most assists for Tottenham since the start of the Premier League.’
Son Heung-min recorded a total of 83 assists, which surpasses the previous leader, Christian Eriksen, with 82. Son Heung-min is also already one of the third-highest scorers in Tottenham history, behind Harry Kane and Jimmy Greaves. Spurs Web expressed expectations for Son Heung-min’s tremendous performance, saying, ‘Son Heung-min is clearly showing no signs of decline, and if he plays for Tottenham for more than four years, he may have a chance to break Kane’s scoring record.’
Coach Postekoglou also did not spare praise. He said: “Son Heung-min is elite in every way. I would be very surprised if he wasn’t considered an outstanding striker when he finished the game. He has played on the wing throughout his career, but he has shown to be a threat on goal. Now I would like to see him in the box. “He put it inside, and that’s why he has already scored nine goals. I think Son Heung-min is also the leader in offside scoring,” he said, praising Son Heung-min.
The reason why Postekoglou mentioned Son Heung-min’s offside scores was because he hit the net three times in the last game against Aston Villa, but all of the scores were canceled due to offsides. Son Heung-min expressed his disappointment, but Postecoglou assessed that even this was due to Son Heung-min’s strengths. Postekoglu also praised Son Heung-min’s attitude, saying, “He is outstanding, and every day he sets an example as a player and a human being. It inspires me to see someone who loves his job like that every time.”
Arsenal legend David Seaman also praised Son Heung-min’s performance. On the 5th, British TBR Football highlighted Seaman’s praise for Son Heung-min, saying, ‘Seaman was surprised by Son Heung-min.’ Seaman is a legendary goalkeeper for Arsenal, which has a long-standing rivalry with Son Heung-min’s team, Tottenham. Seaman appeared on the podcast and said about Son Heung-min’s game, “If you look at Tottenham, Son Heung-min is unbelievable. He runs at a fast pace, but he has great control. On the other hand, if you look at Darwin Núñez, he runs at the same pace, but he doesn’t seem to have control. “There are times when I think about it,” he said, admiring Son Heung-min’s speed, control, and decisiveness. TBR Football said, ‘Son Heung-min actually changed his position to center forward under the new manager and his fate changed. “Son Heung-min wants his team to win, but he should be proud of his performance yesterday,” he said, adding that Son Heung-min’s performance was at an incredible level.
AP Yonhap News Tottenham also had a reason to quickly renew Son Heung-min’s contract. This is because Saudi Arabia and Real Madrid were interested in him. At the time of last summer’s transfer market, some media outlets said, ‘Saudi clubs will be targeting several more names. They have already drawn up a tentative list. Heung-min Son and Robert Lewandowski were included in the list, he said, reporting the possibility of Son Heung-min moving to the Middle East next summer. In addition, ‘Son Heung-min was offered a contract from Al-Ittihad of the Saudi league that includes an annual salary of 30 million euros (about 42 billion won) per season for four years. Son Heung-min is Saudi Arabia’s target in 2024, and work is reportedly already in progress. Son Heung-min will enter the final year of his contract with Tottenham in the summer of 2024, and some reports claim that the Korean player is ready to leave the Premier League,’ and even detailed salary levels and plans were revealed.
However, Son Heung-min dismissed rumors of a transfer to Saudi Arabia during the pre-season and expressed his intention to remain at Tottenham, receiving cheers from fans. He said, “If I wanted to go (to Saudi Arabia), I wouldn’t be here. I like playing soccer. Money is important, but my dream is to play in the Premier League,” and mentioned that he would remain in the Premier League, the stage of his dreams. As Son Heung-min had about a year left on his contract after this season, Tottenham had no choice but to prepare for a contract renewal despite Son Heung-min’s remarks.
Reuters Yonhap News Real also considered recruiting Son Heung-min. Spain’s Pichajes said, ‘One of the names Real are looking at to strengthen their squad is Son Heung-min. He has become a true icon for Tottenham,’ he said. ‘Son Heung-min’s versatility on the pitch has made him a favorite for Real to strengthen their squad in the future transfer market. ‘Real has been closely watching Son Heung-min’s movements for a while and has expressed interest in signing him, raising expectations among the club’s fans.’
He added: ‘It will be a significant investment, but President Florentino Pérez is willing to give the green light to this signing. The experienced and talented Son Heung-min could add a new shine among Real’s stars. Details are still largely rumor, but the possibility of him joining Real can be ruled out. He explained the possibility by saying, “His presence will be a true event and add quality to the team.”
In fact, although there were rumors of a transfer for Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland after starting striker Karim Benzema left for Saudi Arabia in the transfer market last summer, Real only signed Joselu in the transfer market, and the weight of the front line has decreased.
Recently, Jude Bellingham has been performing well in his offensive role, but other offensive players such as Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Joselu are performing poorly, and it is also true that there is a lack of players who can add quality in the striker position. It is possible to recruit Mbappe right now ahead of next season, but reinforcement of strikers is essential as Mbappe is known to be reluctant to play the position of front-line striker. In this situation, the presence of Son Heung-min, who is very active as a front-line striker, could not help but be attractive.
However, Son Heung-min’s transfer became difficult due to Son Heung-min’s great affection for Tottenham and Tottenham’s will to keep him. It is expected to receive great attention whether Son Heung-min and Tottenham can sign a new contract before the end of the year, putting aside the transfer rumors and continuing their relationship in the future.
AP Yonhap News Meanwhile, Tottenham must worry about Son Heung-min’s contract renewal as well as his absence. There are only about two weeks left until Son Heung-min’s departure. This is because Son Heung-min is about to be selected for the Asian Cup. Considering that the team is suffering from injuries, the absence of special striker Son Heung-min is expected to be even more painful.
Son Heung-min will participate in the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Qatar Asian Cup, which will be held from January to December 10, and must join the national team by December 30. Tottenham will have to play without Son Heung-min from December 30th. Since Korea, led by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, is a team that is trying to win the Asian Cup, it is highly likely that Son Heung-min will not be able to return until the finals of the tournament.
In addition to Son Heung-min, there are additional players absent in January. Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarda are the core of the midfield. Sarr and Bissouma will participate in the Africa Cup of Nations. The two players, who are scheduled to participate in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast representing Senegal and Mali, are key players in each national team and are likely to leave Tottenham and join the national team before the Cup of Nations, which opens on January 13. Senegal was drawn in the same group as Cameroon, Guinea and Gambia, while Mali was in the same group as Tunisia, South Africa and Namibia.
Senegal, which includes Sarr, is the defending champion who won the last Nations Cup, and if Sarr plays a key role and advances to a high level, he could be away from the team for a long time until the final held on February 11th. Even if Bissouma is eliminated from the tournament immediately after the group stage, as Mali was eliminated in the round of 16 of the previous tournament, he will not be able to return to the team until the end of January.
Reuters Yonhap News Midfielders Sarr and Bissouma have decent substitutes such as Giovanni Lo Celso, Oliver Skipp, and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, but Son Heung-min has virtually no substitutes other than Richarlison. It is difficult to expect Richarlison to completely replace Son Heung-min. In the end, Tottenham is expected to keenly feel the absence of a frontline striker if there is no special reinforcement during Son Heung-min’s absence.
If the return of currently injured James Maddison, Mickey van der Pen, and Rodrigo Bentancur is delayed, the problem becomes even greater. Maddison and Van der Pen left the match against Chelsea in the 11th round due to ankle and hamstring injuries. Coach Enze Postekoglou said, “Van der Pen’s hamstring injury was quite serious. He will probably be out for a couple of months and will not be able to return until the New Year. Maddison’s condition was even more serious than before. He was still in condition the day after the game. “It wasn’t good, so I sent him for a scan. In the end, the results came back bad, so I’ll probably have to see him next year,” he said, expressing regret after reporting the news of the two players’ injuries. The two core players of the team are not expected to return until early next year.
In addition to Maddison and Vander Pen, there are quite a few players who are absent, including Ivan Perisic and Manor Solomon. Even excluding Bentancur, who is scheduled to return in February, if Maddison and Van der Pen do not return in early January, Tottenham will have to play the league schedule without a total of five key starters: Son Heung-min, Bissouma, Sarr, Maddison, and Van der Pen. . As praise for Son Heung-min, who has become an even bigger presence in the team this season, increases, Tottenham’s concerns about the time without him are expected to increase.
Reporter Lee Hyun-seok digh1229@sportschosun.com
2023-12-15 07:16:00
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