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Tottenham Hotspur keen to retain veteran star with 23G/A this season
Tottenham chiefs are leaning towards keeping Son Heung-min at the club following Champions League qualification
Tottenham Hotspur skipper Son Heung-min has had a difficult campaign in North London, alongside a whole host of stars under Ange Postecoglou.
The versatile forward’s inconsistent performances have raised question marks about his long-term future at White Hart Lane and whether or not he should remain in the squad moving forward. He has been through a lot of ups and downs at Spurs since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, but finally managed to get his icy hands on a trophy—the UEFA Europa League in Bilbao.
Despite his dip in form and fitness levels, Son Heung-min has managed to make 46 appearances across all competitions. He has contributed to 11 goals and 12 assists, demonstrating that even in his advancing years, he can be productive in the final third.
Amid a lot of speculation surrounding his future, Football Insider senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke has revealed that Spurs are planning to keep Son beyond this season. There is a belief internally that the 32-year-old’s experience will come in handy as the Lilywhites return to Champions League football following their Europa League success.
“It’s fair to say it’s not been his best season,” Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider.
“There’s no getting away from that. Probably the reason he didn’t start the Europa League final was due to a lack of match fitness. Maybe Postecoglou was a bit worried throwing Son into such a big game having not played too many games since his return from injury.
“I still think he’s got a role to play at Tottenham, he’s the club captain and Spurs took up the option in January to extend his contract until 2026. With Champions League football on the menu at Tottenham next season, they’ll be keen to keep hold of such an experienced player.”
Son is the longest-serving player at Tottenham after Ben Davies. It is true that the South Korean international has been far from his usual self and not lived up to the high expectations of the fans as the club’s main man in attack. And Ange’s decision to start him on the bench against Man United in the Europa League final in Bilbao perhaps was a reminder that he isn’t the force anymore to play in high-pressure and intensive games.
Yet, the 32-year-old’s experience remains a valuable asset and that could come benefit Spurs when they compete against elite teams in the Champions League. The club decided to trigger a one-year extension in the forward’s contract at the start of the year, extending his stay in North London until the end of 2025/26 season.
More Tottenham Hotspur News:
- €80m Bundesliga star open to summer move; Tottenham Hotspur remain keen
- Tottenham backed to ‘fall short’ against Brighton amidst Europa League ‘hangover’
- Journalist hints Tottenham are looking for a centre-back to replace Cristian Romero
Son has been a fantastic servant for Tottenham and deserves to be respected. If the club feels he is still worthy of having an impact on and off the pitch, then so be it. But if they change their mind and decide to cash him in, the South Asian ace can leave the North London club with his head held high.
