"Sonny's contract issue? I don't know when I'll get fired either."

Ange Postecoglou, the Tottenham manager, is acknowledging the uneasy reality.

On the 14th, Tottenham lost 2-4 to Wolverhampton in the 32nd round of the 2024-2025 Premier League at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England. With a total of 37 points (11 wins, 4 draws, 17 losses), Tottenham remained in 15th place in the league.

There was strong public opinion prior to the match calling for Son Heung-min to be excluded from the starting lineup due to his recent poor performance. The British "Telegraph" noted on the 11th, "There is a question of whether Son Heung-min still deserves to start for Tottenham. His playing time is currently based not on form but on long-standing experience. The 20-year-old Odoeber and 19-year-old Tel are faster and more agile, which raises serious considerations for Son Heung-min's exclusion from the starting lineup."

It is true that Son Heung-min has been underperforming. He has scored only one goal in the last 17 matches for Tottenham and the South Korean national team. That goal was a penalty against Bournemouth. He has not scored from open play in three months since the match against Arsenal on Jan. 15. At 33 years old, the number of matches Son Heung-min misses due to injuries has also increased.

Son Heung-min was excluded from the roster due to a foot injury before the match. However, once the game began, Tottenham's performance was dismal. Tottenham struggled from the start, conceding four goals and collapsing completely. With Captain Son Heung-min absent, there were many situations where the players appeared lost without someone to rely on. Vice-captain Cristian Romero failed to fully command the team. There was a scene where Guglielmo Vicario and Romero miscommunicated, leading to a goal.

After the match, questions arose about whether Tottenham was making any moves toward a contract extension with Son Heung-min, who has one year remaining on his contract. Tottenham executed an option to extend his contract for another year until 2026. Given the declining performance of the aging Son Heung-min, the club preferred to assess his situation over just the next year.

However, after the one-year extension, Son Heung-min's performance has drastically declined. It is true that Tottenham is hesitant about a contract renewal. However, they also cannot let Son Heung-min go for free. The best option is to sign an agreement with Son Heung-min and sell him to another team at a high price.

Postecoglou noted about the contract renewal process for Son Heung-min, "We pushed to extend Sonny's contract, but there has been no further progress. Now is not the time to focus on those issues. Contract negotiations and squad planning will take place after the later part of the season."

Interestingly, there is a sense that Postecoglou might be dismissed before Son Heung-min signs a contract renewal. The atmosphere suggests that once Tottenham is eliminated from the Europa League, an immediate announcement of his dismissal will follow.

Postecoglou mentioned, "As long as I am here in the future, I will be involved in negotiations for Sonny's contract renewal," sharing a story that is both amusing and tragic. He forecasted his own precarious future, where he could be fired at any time.

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