Reason Why Tottenham leave Son Heung-min disappointed after triggering contract clause

Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur looks dejected (Image: Marc Atkins)

Tottenham Hotspur has so far chosen to activate an extension clause in Son Heung-min’s contract, which is about to expire, rather than negotiate a new long-term agreement with him.

Tottenham’s choice to initiate a contract extension has taken Son Heung-min by surprise and upset him.

The Spurs star’s contract is scheduled to expire at the end of the current campaign, but the Lilywhites intend to use a one-year option to prolong their club captain’s term. According to sources, the 32-year-old, who is in the last year of his current contract, is open to extending his stay in north London but had anticipated holding negotiations for a new long-term deal.

The only player still standing from Tottenham’s starting lineup in the 2019 Champions League final under Mauricio Pochettino is Son, who has scored 123 goals in 311 Premier League games. Since Harry Kane left for Bayern Munich in 2023, the South Korea international has continued to be a lucky charm for the team.

In September, Son said that he had not yet had a conversation with the club about his future. “So far, we haven’t discussed anything. I can see it clearly,” he replied. “This season has my whole attention. At this age, every second feels like a goal, and since we are competing so much this season, I feel like I am paying much more attention to this. As I have stated, I am totally focused on this season and only want to win something that the players and the club as a whole deserve.

“I’m working towards that goal. You never know what will happen in the future, but I have given everything I have for this club for almost ten years.

“I still have a contract with the club which is the very important thing and I just want to give everything until my contract [expires].”

To Son’s astonishment, Spurs have reportedly postponed long-term contract talks, according to TalkSPORT. Rather, they are only adding 12 months to his existing contract and activating his clause.

Son will have spent 11 years in north London if he remains with the team until the end of the deal. However, Jamie O’Hara, a former Spurs midfielder, thinks Son’s tenure at the team is coming to an end.

“The final third’s quality is no longer there,” he remarked. “At thirty-two, will he surpass people? Let me tell you, he has been an incredible player. A great Tottenham player.

However, it seems to me that you have that edge and sharpness to your game when I see him now. He hasn’t, in my opinion. One by one, he has swept through there. The purpose of the old Sonny is certain. We need to start looking at a new left-winger, but you can’t remove him from the team since no one is better than him.