Reserve FA status with 6 months left on contract expiration
“Ups and downs in performance – age, obstacle to contract renewal”
Team may extend for one year to collect transfer fee
Should I leave or stay?
One of the biggest concerns of domestic soccer fans in the new year is the future future of Tottenham Son Heung-min (33, photo). Son Heung-min’s contract with Tottenham of the English Premier League (EPL) ends in June this year. After joining Tottenham in 2015, Son Heung-min renewed his contract twice (2018 and 2021), extending the contract period until June 2025. At the time of his second contract renewal, Son Heung-min said, “Tottenham is a place like home. “I was grateful that the club showed me a lot of respect (during the contract process),” he said.
Son Heung-min played 10 seasons at Tottenham, including the ongoing 2024-2025 season, scoring 169 goals (430 games) across all competitions. This is the 5th highest record among Tottenham players of all time. In the EPL, he recorded a total of 68 assists, which also holds the record for the most assists in the EPL career by a Tottenham player.
Unlike the previous two contract renewals, Tottenham appears to be hesitant about renewing Son Heung-min’s third contract. On December 28 last year, the British BBC reported, “Son Heung-min and Tottenham are not negotiating a contract renewal. “Tottenham captain Son Heung-min’s future is uncertain,” he said. The British media analyzed that Son Heung-min’s extreme performance this season and his age, which turns 34 next year, are obstacles to renewing his contract.
At the end of last year, there were predictions that Tottenham would activate a one-year contract extension option instead of signing a new long-term contract with Son Heung-min. However, Tottenham has not yet announced any details about the contract with Son Heung-min. When asked in September last year whether he had entered into renewal negotiations, Son Heung-min said, “I don’t know what will happen in the future. “I will give everything for this team,” he said, avoiding direct comment.
If Tottenham does not use the one-year contract extension option, Son Heung-min can begin transfer negotiations with teams in other leagues excluding the EPL from the 1st of this month. This is because, according to the ‘Bosman Rule’, he can begin negotiations as a prospective free agent (FA) from the point where there are six months left until the contract expires. If Son Heung-min transfers as a free agent, Tottenham will not receive a penny of the transfer fee. According to ‘Transfermarkt’, a website specializing in soccer statistics, Son Heung-min’s expected transfer fee is 38 million euros (about 57.8 billion won). For this reason, some British media believe that Tottenham may belatedly use the one-year contract extension option to collect the transfer fee.
Interest is also focused on where Son Heung-min will head if he transfers. Turkic media reported that Fenerbahce in its domestic league is seeking to recruit Son Heung-min. Fenerbahce’s head coach is Jose Mourinho, who previously coached Son Heung-min at Tottenham. Atletico Madrid (Spain) and Bayern Munich (Germany) are also being discussed as potential next destinations. Munich is played by striker Harry Kane, who previously worked with Tottenham, and teammate Kim Min-jae of the Korean national soccer team.
Reporter Jeong Yun-cheol [email protected]
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