Real Madrid interested in Son Heung-min: Reports

Tottenham's Son Heung-min reacts during a Premier League match against Newcastle United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday. [AP/YONHAP]

Real Madrid are reportedly interested in acquiring Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min, with Los Blancos said to be preparing to bid for the Korean player despite him signing a new four-year deal with Spurs last year.

German sports newspaper Sport1 reported Monday that Real Madrid is interested in pursuing Son in either the January or summer 2023 transfer windows, and that, according to an unnamed source, Son is considering moving on from Tottenham.

Son transfer rumors are common every year, especially when Tottenham is underperforming — the London club has dropped their last two games — but they normally fizzle out before anything meaningful happens.

Both playmaking partner Harry Kane, who did try to leave the club last year, and manager Antonio Conte are also regularly linked to moves.

Son signed a new contract with Tottenham in July last year, reportedly netting a £200,000-a-week deal. That contract gave him a significant pay raise from £140,000-a-week he had been on since 2018.

Son, the 2021-22 Premier League Golden Boot winner, got off to a fairly slow start this season, scoring five goals so far across all competitions.

After getting an assist in the opening game of the season, Son stayed silent for five games, before finally hammering home a hat-trick on Sept. 17. Returning from the international break at the end of September, Son picked up another assist on Oct. 8.

On Oct. 13, Son added two more goals against Frankfurt in a Champions League game, taking him up to five goals and two assists in total.

Son also finished 11th in the 2022 Ballon d’Or ranking, the highest finish ever by an Asian footballer.

Although Tottenham’s form has dropped in recent games, the club still remains in third place in the Premier League and in first place in Group D in the Champions League. That puts the club in the best position it has been in for years, seemingly an unlikely time for top players like Son and Kane to be considering leaving.

Tottenham will be back in action on Wednesday as they take on Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Champions League. After that game the London club will return to the Champions League on Saturday for a game against Bournemouth.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]