Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min is struggling amid a rollercoaster of appearances and inconsistent performances this season. Various interpretations regarding his standing at the club have emerged, while team legend Robbie Keane repeatedly emphasized his faith in Son.
The Boy Hotspur reported on the 15th (Korea time) that "Son Heung-min's performance has declined since Harry Kane left the team, and there are reports suggesting that he could be sold in the summer transfer market."
He added that "up until last season, Kane's absence was not felt significantly, but this season is definitely different."
The Boy Hotspur recently highlighted the relationship between Son Heung-min and manager Ange Postecoglou through an interview left by Keane.
Keane diagnosed that "Tottenham has overall struggled this season, and Son Heung-min has too," noting that "he is often absent from the starting lineup. His relationship with the manager seems to have deteriorated compared to before."
Son Heung-min's performance this season has fallen short of expectations. However, judging by records alone, he is producing results that most wingers would envy.
Son Heung-min has participated in 28 Premier League matches this season, recording 7 goals and 9 assists. Despite missing some games due to injuries and a drop in condition, he remains one of the most consistent producers of attacking points on the team.
The issue is that the level of skill he has shown so far has been so high that his performance this season feels relatively disappointing. This is also the reason why evaluations of Son Heung-min are divided into extremes.
Some media outlets strongly criticize him, while others continue to defend him. Robbie Keane is closer to the latter.
Keane emphasized that there is no doubt about Son Heung-min's class. He said, "Son Heung-min is still one of the top strikers in the Premier League. The fluctuations he is experiencing are natural for a player performing in a team that is overall struggling," and added, "He is probably missing Kane. The two players had built a positive partnership that greatly influenced each other."
Keane also argued that the club should approach Son Heung-min's future situation carefully.
Keane stated, "I hope Son Heung-min does not leave the team this summer. He has achieved unbelievable results at Tottenham so far."
He added that "however, the current relationship with manager Postecoglou seems to be less smooth compared to previous managers. The reasons he is frequently substituted during matches appear related to this."
Currently, Son Heung-min is in a position to lead Tottenham as captain and continues to create the most opportunities as a forward. However, it is difficult to deny that he is not functioning as a complete central figure within the manager's tactics.
Tottenham is pinning its last hopes on this season's Europa League, and there is interest in whether Son Heung-min can play a central role in that process.
Despite the transfer rumors and performance controversies arising from within and outside the team, there is broad agreement that Son Heung-min remains the face of Tottenham.
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