Who is Son?

Who Is Son Heung-min? 

Son Heung-min is in my opinion, the most underrated player in the world right now. Even though he performs week in and week out, he isn’t talked about much beyond English football. Today, I will dive into a deep analysis about the South Korean, hitting on three big ideas.

How Does Son Play?

Son is most devastating when he plays left mid, but he can also play as a right winger. Jose Mourinho has normally stuck with the 4-2-3-1 formation for much of this season, which gives Son complete freedom on the left wing. It also allows for Son to link up well with his teammate, Harry Kane. The two provide assists for each other, and this has resulted in some great chances. However, it's mainly Harry Kane who does the most assisting of the two, as he has liked to drop deeper this season. I believe that Son should practice playmaking a bit more, because his crossing quality can be suspect. That being said, they are still a devastating duo. While Son may not be perfect passing, his dribbling is world class. You don’t have to look much further than his 2017 goal against Chelsea, or his 2019 effort against Burnley, where he weaved his way past 7 defenders to score the Puskas goal of the season.

Son is an outstanding attacker, but he’s also a great presser. When defending, Mourinho likes to zonal mark. This means that instead of directly marking opposition players when Tottenham are without the ball, the Tottenham players each spread out and guard a certain space on the field. This is great for Son, as it allows him to use his pace a lot more rather than be stuck guarding one player. Even though it's beneficial for Son as an individual, I don’t like zonal marking. This is because there could be a lapse in communication if nobody is directly assigned to a person. They have lost 4 out of their past 5 games, showing that this method has leaked goals. Tottenham could improve their goal conceded ratio of they used the man-marking technique.

How Influential is Son?

To put it simply, Tottenham's firepower would be cut in half without Son. Nobody has been more lethal at Tottenham, and yes, I'm also talking about Harry Kane, who is frequently injured. In all competitions, Son has been a part of 30 goal contributions, including 6 Europa League goals this season. In the Premier League, he’s scored 13 of Tottenham's 37 goals this season, level with Kane. Any club would do whatever they can to keep a player with that much end product, never mind a club which has been struggling as of late. The thing is, he has been putting up these stats for many seasons in the past, showing his consistency. There are also some things that can’t be put down on paper. Son is one of the most respectable players, and sets a huge example for so many people. He may not be a natural leader, but having a model for your teammates is an underrated quality that any team needs.

Where does Son’s future lie?

Success brings signatures. Son is 28, and in his prime. If I were his agent, I would be looking to find a club that could win silverware. The last time they won a serious trophy was in 2008. In 2019, they won the  Audi Cup, but it isn’t the most prestigious trophy ever. Heck, it’s named after a car. However, Jose Mourinho is a serial winner, and his presence could promise trophies. Tottenham are still in the Europa League, and must be huge favorites to win. Manchester United are also in the Europa League, so we could be in store for an all-English final. Spurs really need to win it, because they are currently in 9th place in the Premier League, and winning Europa would send them straight into the Champions League. Tottenham are still in the EFL Cup, but their next game is against Manchester City, who are practically untouchable right now. Bottom line, they need to lift a trophy this season for Son to stay at the club.

Many clubs are looking for his signature: Real Madrid have shown a lot of interest in signing him, after it became quite evident that Eden Hazard has flopped in the Spanish capital. With more star players over 30 years of age (Kroos, Benzema, Ramos), Real Madrid have been preparing for its future by buying younger talents, and Son could be a perfect piece to their puzzle. PSG are impressed by Son’s speed and efficiency; Angel Di Maria is 33, so it’s no wonder that they are looking for a pacy, adaptable winger. Talisman Kylian Mbappe is looking to be on his way out of PSG as well, due to his immense tallent. Therefore, it makes only more sense that they would buy Son. The final team that is seriously considering putting pen to paper for Son is Juventus. Cristiano Ronaldo is without a doubt one of the best players in history, but he’s 36, so you couldn’t blame the old lady for seeking a replacement when Ronaldo eventually hangs up his boots.

Son Heung-min is a fantastic player at the peak of his powers. He’s too dangerous to be unmarked, and will punish any side that isn’t concentrating on him. Only the future knows what his next move will be. Hopefully, the South Korean will continue to shine.