Son Heung-min (Tottenham) has had a rough go of it this season 안전놀이터.
He suffered a facial injury, had to play with a face mask, and was out of form. After leading the league with 23 goals last season, expectations were higher than ever. He didn’t live up to the hype.
As a result, there was a lot of criticism directed at him. However, Heung-min persevered and gradually found his groove. He has now scored double-digit goals in the English Premier League (EPL) for seven consecutive seasons. But it’s still not enough, especially with Tottenham slipping to eighth place in the league, and people are looking for a scapegoat for the team’s downfall.
Son Heung-min has been labeled the “most maligned player of all time. Sportskeeda, an American publication, published a list of “five players who should never be re-signed this summer” on July 23 (KST).
“Older players and injury-prone stars are a huge burden on any team, let alone a title contender. They hinder the development of the team’s younger players and the team’s progress, so it’s more beneficial for the team to let players in their 30s move on to other destinations rather than extend their contracts,” the publication explained, revealing the names of five players.
Among them, Son Heung-min was listed at number four. The media outlet was brutal in its assessment.
“Son has been a key player for Tottenham for eight years alongside Harry Kane. The winger has thrived under Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho, and Antonio Conte thanks to his blistering pace and efficiency in front of goal. To put things in perspective, Heung-min has scored at least 15 goals in every season since joining Tottenham in 2015.”
In fact, Heung-min joined Tottenham in the 2015-16 season and scored eight goals that year. He then exploded. He has since scored 21, 18, 20, 18, 22, and 24 goals, making him one of Spurs’ most prolific strikers. Last season, he led the EPL with 23 goals. This season, however, he has only scored 10 EPL goals and 14 overall.
“If Son scores two goals in the final EPL game against Leeds United, he can still achieve his goal this season. However, this season has exposed his weaknesses and shown a lack of pace.”
“Tottenham have also had a relatively poor season, but it could be that the soon-to-be 31-year-old is simply having an off-season rather than a decline in form. This doesn’t mean he’s no longer capable of delivering quality performances, but he hasn’t been able to get past defenders easily all season.”
For this reason, the outlet argues that Son should not be re-signed.
“Therefore, with Son’s contract ending in 2025, Tottenham would be wise to let him go rather than extend it. Kane’s contract is also set to expire next summer, and Spurs are likely to push for a new direction under a new manager next summer.”
Finally, “Spurs may now need to build a new core of players. The old cards, including Son Heung-min, may need to move on in the coming years.”
Joining Son on the list are David de Gea (Manchester United) at #5, Thiago Alcantara (Liverpool) at #3, Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) at #2, and Anthony Martial (Manchester United) at #1.