Son Heung-Min has a new life at Tottenham
Many Tottenham fans were surprised when Son Heung-Min survived the Spurs summer roster purge. The South Korean attacker was the subject of intense interest from Wolfsburg but no deal was struck. Now Son has a second chance to earn his place at the club.
Reports from Germany claim that Wolfsburg plan to return for Son in January, but there are a lot of matches to play between now and the winter transfer window. Son’s been blessed with a second chance to make a real impact for Spurs.
It’s a bit of good fortune for the talented attacker given his struggles in a Tottenham kit. He really hasn’t been able to live up to anything close to his transfer purchase price. He arrived at White Hart Lane with high expectations, but hasn’t adjusted well to life in the Premier League.
Fortunately for Son, the litany of players that left the club this summer leave him in a great position. Even after the arrival of Moussa Sissoko and Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, he still has a great opportunity to earn valuable playing time. At the moment, he should be Mauricio Pochettino’s first attacking option off the bench.
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That status will give him a real chance to kick-start his career. He clearly has skills with the ball at his feet, but so far the Premier League has been much to physical for his slight frame. He’s been effective against lesser competition, but hasn’t looked good against elite competition.
It may be time for Spurs fans to recalibrate their expectations a bit. Instead of thinking about Son as a starting player, perhaps we should view him as a potential super sub. Spurs could do much worse than bringing Son off the bench to add offensive punch late in matches.
Unfortunately, that role might not be enough to satisfy Son. He was a key player for Bayer Leverkusen before coming to Tottenham, and expected the same sort of success in England. Time will tell whether or not he’s willing to accept a diminished role with his new club.
If he does, he may prove to be a valuable asset for Mauricio Pochettino off the bench. Spurs need a bigger roster this year to compete on all fronts, and that will leave Son room to reestablish his value. Now all the South Korean star needs to do is produce when he’s given the opportunity.
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