Tottenham have major worry behind the scenes as Ange Postecoglou issues mount up
COMMENT: Tottenham’s poor form may have distracted Ange Postecoglou from dealing with a pressing issue.
Tottenham may well have taken their eye off the ball in sorting out Son Heung-min’s future after their recent decline under Ange Postecoglou.
So much has been made about the futures of Liverpool trio Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk that Son could quite easily slip out the back door this summer without anyone noticing.
The South Korean star will be free to talk to foreign clubs about a pre-contract agreement in the coming days, which would then see him secure a Bosman transfer after his current deal expires in June 2025.
Whatever happens in the future, Son has cemented his legacy as a Tottenham great with 169 goals in 425 appearances since his £23million switch from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015.
He has hit double digits for league goals in every season since his debut campaign in England. But now that he is halfway through his 10th year in the Premier League, Son’s future looks far from certain at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The good news for Spurs is that Son claims he won’t be swayed by money in deciding his future, having previously snubbed offers from the Saudi Pro League.
“I have many things to do in the Premier League,” he said in June 2023. “Money doesn’t matter to me now, and the pride of playing football, to play in my favourite league is important.”
However, the underlying issue for Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy is figuring out what to do with Son in his twilight years.
After all, he turns 33 in July and it’s fair to say his form has taken a nosedive in 2024-25, although the same can be said for many of his team-mates.
Son has scored just five times in 16 league matches, assisting a further six. Compare that to Salah, who is also 32 and in the final year of his contract, and it doesn’t reflect well that the Liverpool star has left him in his shadow with 17 goals and 12 assists for the Reds.
The fact Son has been outscored by Brennan Johnson is one thing, but Dejan Kulusevski has also snatched his title as Spurs’ chief creator.
It wasn’t long ago that Spurs couldn’t do without Son; now there is a feeling they might be better off leaving him at home.
Of course, that opinion is not shared throughout the club’s fanbase. He remains a perennial figure, and his candid assessment of the club’s disappointing form on the pitch proves his suitability for the captaincy. There is also no obvious contender to replace Son, with loanee Timo Werner wasteful in the final third and Richarlison worryingly prone to injury.
