Son Heung-min is a veritable Tottenham Hotspur great; there is no denying this fact.
And yet, he is reaching an age where every player and their employers have to sit down and talk about the future. Son and Spurs are due to do that this season.
According to one former player of the club, however, the Lilywhites may be willing to offer their captain more than a short-term deal.
Paul Robinson believes Tottenham will want to keep Son Heung-min on board for years to come
Speaking exclusively to Tottenham Hotspur News, former England and Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson said that he believed the club would be willing to offer Son Heung-min more than just a year-long extension on his deal.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they were in talks to extend his contract further. The relationship he’s got with the fans and how he’s thought of at the club, I suspect he’ll stay as long as he wants to.
“Without a recognised No.9 last season, he really carried the mantle until Dominic Solanke came in this summer. It’s kind of accepted that, while he only has seven months left on his deal, we’re not talking about it constantly.
“I would be surprised if it was only going to be a year. The fact that we’re not hearing anything, I think the year’s extension is already a given and it is quiet because it could be more. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was two or three years.”
Robinson on Son’s future in North London.
Recent reports suggest the club are inclined towards triggering the one-year extension clause in Son’s £9.88m-per-year contract, which is currently set to run out at the end of the ongoing season. However, no official talks have been held between the player and the club.
The South Korea and Tottenham captain has made nine appearances for the club so far this season across all competitions, registering three goals and assists each.
Wisdom in brevity
Thanks to modern sports science, player have been able to prolong their stay at the top levels of professional football, though a decline after they hit thirties is still inevitable for any footballer; you cannot outrun time, after all.
This decline comes at varying stages and manifests differently for everyone. With Son, there are no signs of a drastic fall yet, but one can never truly discern until when that will not happen, even with all the right tools at their disposal.
So it’s unlikely Tottenham will hand their captain three more years right away. Son is still very much capable of leading the line, but expect him to get only year-long deals going forward. At best, we can expect him to get a two-year deal that would run until June 2027, days before his 35th birthday.