Son Heung-min wary of 'great threat' Hwang Hee-chan ahead of Premier League clash

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Son Heung-min wary of 'great threat' Hwang Hee-chan ahead of Premier League clash

Published: 15 Feb. 2024, 20:44 Updated: 16 Feb. 2024, 18:02

PAIK JI-HWAN
[email protected]

Korea's Son Heung-min, left, celebrates with Hwang Hee-chan after scoring his side's second goal during an Asian Cup quarterfinal against Australia at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar on Feb. 2. [AP/YONHAP]

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min is wary of the "great threat" posed by Wolvererhampton Wanderers’ Hwang Hee-chan when the two sides face off in the Premier League on Saturday.

The two teams are set to face each other for a second time this season in the Premier League in North London. It may not be a Korean derby, however, as Hwang’s availability is unclear.

Hwang has not played a Premier League match since his return from the Asian Cup — where Korea crashed out of with a semifinal loss to Jordan on Feb. 6 — due to pain in his calf, missing a league fixture against Brentford on Feb. 10.

“I spoke with Hee-chan yesterday about how he feels, and he said he is not 100 percent ready,” Son Heung-min said Thursday during a video press conference with Korean reporters. “I didn’t ask him about anything in detail as we are on different teams, and we have to keep some things secret. As he is a player that could be a great threat to our team, I jokingly told him to take a rest if he feels unwell.”

Son was speaking before an open training session put on by Tottenham for premium members, season ticket holders and One Hotspur members at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Money raised from the event will provide funding for the Foundation’s youth mentoring program — Tottenham Futures — supporting vulnerable young people through positive activities.

Son Heung-min enters Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London for an open training session on Thursday. [TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR]

Unlike Hwang, Son has already played a Premier League game since his return from the Asian Cup, coming on as a substitute in last week’s 2-1 comeback victory against Brighton & Hove Albion where he recorded an assist.

Both Korean forwards, however, have been in remarkable form so far in the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.

The Spurs captain has scored 12 goals in 21 fixtures to land in fourth on the league top scorer table, with Hwang having recorded 10 goals in 20 matches to sit at seventh.

Neither of them, however, recorded an assist or a goal when they faced off in November last year.

Whether Hwang will be ready to face Son on Saturday remains to be seen.

The game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will kick off at 3 p.m., or 12 a.m. on Sunday in Korea.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]