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Barcelona on the prowl as Spurs still yet to extend Son Heung-min contract

Published: 07 Jan. 2025, 14:29 Updated: 07 Jan. 2025, 17:21

PAIK JI-HWAN
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Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min looks on during a Premier League match against Newcastle United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Jan. 4. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Son Heung-min’s future in London remains unclear with Tottenham Hotspur still yet to active an option of one additional year in their captain's contract as of Tuesday.

Should Spurs not activate the clause, Son will be without a club at the end of the 2024-25 season.

Son, 32, has yet to publicly reveal what his next steps are, but recent reports have said Spurs, are perhaps unsurprisingly, keen to keep him for one more season. Spurs are not the only ones interested, however, with Barcelona also reportedly circling in the hope of snapping up a free transfer.

Since joining Spurs in 2015, Son has played as a regular pick and signed a six-year contract extension in 2018 and a four-year renewal in 2021.

During his decade-long spell with Spurs, he has racked up 169 goals and 90 assists across 431 appearances to become the fifth-highest goal scorer for the London side and winning the 2021-22 Premier League Golden Boot. He became captain of the club last season.

Despite his personal contributions, he has not won a single trophy with Spurs.

The London club is curently alive in the Carabao Cup semifinals and the Europa League, FA Cup and Premier League this season, but the league title already seems out of their reach, with Spurs sitting in 12th place on the 20-team table.

The one-year extension would allow Son to continue his hunt for a coveted league title and other silverware, but La Liga giants Barcelona would also offer opportunities to secure trophies at what may be the tail end of his career.

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min, front, vies for the ball during a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in England on Dec. 26, 2024. [AP/YONHAP]

Barcelona have seen significant success domestically, with 27 La Liga titles, 31 Copa del Rey trophies and five Champions League titles under their belt.

A move to Barcelona would see Son join a lineup led by lethal striker Robert Lewandowski, who has demonstrated his attacking prowess with 16 goals in 18 league fixtures as the league’s top scorer at 36.

Joining the Spanish giants also increases the potential for him to return to the Champions League, where Spurs have not competed since the 2022-23 season. Barcelona’s chances of playing in the tournament next season are high, with the team sitting in third place in the league.

Son is, however, still a core part of both the Spurs and Korean national team, and has never shown any indication that he could be considering a move to greener pastures.

He has picked up seven goals and six assists across 23 appearances for Tottenham this season, while also captaining Korea’s run in the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Over at the national team, he has amassed 131 caps with 51 goals and 22 assists, but has also not lifted a single trophy, crashing out of four Asian Cups and three World Cups.

A runner-up finish at the 2015 Asian Cup and reaching the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup are the best results he has seen with his country.

With the Son sage continuing in the background, Spurs continue a busy match schedule in the league, Europa League, Carabaco Cup and FA Cup. Tottenham next face Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals on Wednesday.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]