Tottenham Hotspur’s captain Son Heung-min (32) is frustrated after his shocking defeat at the match against Liverpool. Aside from Son’s affection for Tottenham, his performance is not as consistent as ever. The Premier League ranking has plummeted to 11th. Atletico Madrid, a prestigious Spanish Primera Liga team, is showing strong commitment to bring in Son and is opening up new possibilities for a new challenge.
Tottenham was defeated by Liverpool 3-6 in the 17th round of the English Premier League (EPL) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on the 23rd (Korea time). Liverpool, the leading player in the league, dominated Tottenham by taking the lead of the game from the beginning. Son Heung-min started and played 82 minutes, but he remained silent without a goal or help and failed to prevent his team’s defeat.
“Six runs is really painful. There is no excuse,” Son said in an interview after the game. “Liverpool is the best team in the league with great teamwork. Our weaknesses have been revealed in today’s game.”
Against this backdrop, Spain’s prestigious Atletico Madrid is showing interest in Son. British media outlet Cutoffside said, “The 32-year-old is one of Atletico’s main targets. Atletico can push for a transfer within a few months.” Son’s contract with Tottenham is scheduled to expire in the summer of 2025, and he can move to a free agent with no transfer fee. Atletico is planning to use this to recruit Son.
“He is an ideal player who can add depth and quality to Atletico’s offense. He is a versatile striker with the ability to score goals and help, and he will be able to play an important role under coach Diego Simeone,” the media said. In particular, his outstanding scoring ability and tactical flexibility are one of the main reasons why Atletico are trying to recruit him.
Son has established himself as one of the best players in the Premier League since he moved from Leverkusen to Tottenham in 2015. However, despite his personal record and performance, he has never lifted a trophy for Tottenham. This is an important reason for Son to consider new challenges.
Atletico Madrid is a team that has consistently achieved success by challenging both Real Madrid and Barcelona in the Primera Liga. Under Diego Simeone, they showed off their presence by winning La Liga titles in 2013-14 and 2020-21. They also proved their competitiveness in the European leagues by winning three UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cups, respectively. They have won a total of 33 trophies since their inception. If Son moves to Atletico, his chances of winning the trophy, his long-cherished dream, will increase significantly.
Coach Diego Simeone is deeply interested in Son’s versatility and performance. “He has the capability to succeed in La Liga. He highly values Son’s tactical flexibility and experience and intends to use him as a key player in his team,” said Spanish media outlet Pichahes. 스포츠토토
Atletico are currently experiencing problems with the aging and sluggishness of existing strikers such as Antoine Griezmann and Angel Correa. Analysts say that it is essential to recruit world-class players like Son to strengthen the team’s offense capability. Son seems to be a resource that perfectly matches Simeone’s tactics with the ability to use both feet, fast speed and accurate finishing ability.