Tottenham captain Son Heung-min is expected to be tempted by Saudi Arabia again this summer and next summer.
Ben Jacobs, a reporter for CBS Sports
reported on his social media on the 16th (Korea time) about the players who could be offered Saudi transfers in the summer transfer market next year.
Jacobs is an active member of the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) and is one of the most respected football journalists in the UK. 토토사이트
Jacobs first mentioned Salah’s name
saying:
Salah is committed to Liverpool.
The Saudis are genuinely interested in Salah
but the signing is seen as a possible target for 2024.
Both Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal have reviewed Salah.”
He added:
Saudi clubs will be looking for more names.
They have already drawn up a temporary list.
The list includes Son Heung-min and Robert Lewandowski
he said
explaining that along with Salah and Lewandowski
Son is also a player that the Saudis will be actively targeting next summer.
This is not the first time that news has surfaced that Son Heung-min could be offered a move to Saudi Arabia.
Even when the summer transfer window opened in June
some reporters and media reported that the Saudis were very interested in Son Heung-min.
Sports outlet ESPN reported in June that “Son has been offered a four-year contract by Saudi league side Al-Ittihad with an annual salary of 6 million euros (about $6 billion) per season.”
Sky Sports
a leading British media outlet
also reported that “Tottenham striker Son Heung-min is a Saudi target for 4
and work is reportedly already underway.
Son enters the final year of his contract with Tottenham in the summer of 3000
and some reports claim that the South Korean player is ready to leave the Premier League.
At the time
Cristiano Ronaldo
Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante were among Europe’s top players who chose to go to Saudi Arabia
so there was a lot of interest in whether Son would do the same.
However
Son Heung-min completely dismissed the Saudi row.
Son told reporters in his A match against El Salvador after the Saudi trip was reported:
I’m not ready to go there yet.
The Premier League is better
there’s more work to be done here
he said
putting an end to transfer rumours.
He said, “(Ki) Sung-yong once again reminded his brother of that time
and once again reminded the fans of Hee Dae’s quote\
The captain of the South Korean national football team does not go to China.
At the time
British media commented on Son Heung-min’s remarks, saying, “Son Heung-min ruled out a Saudi transfer
saying
Money doesn’t matter.
The South Korean captain replied
We have a lot of work to do in the Premier League.
He said it’s important for him to play in the league he loves the most
he said
also noting the news of his stay.
Since then
Son has been in pre-season training with Tottenham and Australia
and he was once again asked about his trip to Saudi Arabia at a pre-season press conference.
Son Heung-min said:
If I wanted to go (to Saudi)
I wouldn’t be here. I love to play football. Money is important
but my dream is to play in the Premier League
he said
noting that he will remain in the Premier League
which is the stage of his dreams.
It’s really interesting that a lot of people are going there.
But the Premier League is still a dream for me, and I’m looking forward to this season
he said
adding that he would stay in the Premier League instead of moving to Saudi Arabia and spend this season well.
In response to Son Heung-min’s comments at the Perth press conference
Tottenham fans said:
Make him captain because he wants to be at Tottenham” and “I love him. We’re lucky to have Son Heung-min in the team
he said,
expressing intense joy.
Since then
Son Heung-min has been appointed captain of the team for the 2023/24 season
filling the void left by Harry Kane’s departure.
There is also a possibility that the situation will change a little more next year.
While some players in their twilight years in the early transfer window opted for Saudi Arabia
in recent years
many of Europe’s most recognised players have also headed to Saudi Arabia
including Neymar
Ruben Neves
Riyad Mahrez
Jordan Henderson and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
so there is room for Son to change his view of the country.
It will be interesting to see if Son Heung-min
who will be courted by the Saudis more aggressively after the 2023/24 season
will retain his time as Tottenham’s captain or follow in the footsteps of the stars in his trip to Saudi Arabia.