'AT, why didn't you come? How can I get there when there's no call?' Son Heung-min is going to Atletico for 100 billion won? Rumors of AI's absurd transfer 'Hwa-je'

Jul 11, 2024

There is a rumor of an absurd transfer.On the 10th (Korea time), English Football 365 predicted 10 possible transfers in the English Premier League this summer with the help of AI.Football 365 is literally AI's prediction, saying, `It's as absurd as saying it's definitely transferring like Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Tottenham's Son Heung-min, although it's AI's captaincy.' Salah's move to Real Madrid came in 10th and Harry Maguire's move to West Ham came in first. It was sixth place that caught the eye. AI expected Son Heung-min to move to Atletico Madrid. The transfer fee amounted to 57 million pounds (about 101.3 billion won).

Rumors of a transfer came out.

On the 10th (Korea time), English Football 365 predicted 10 possible transfers in the English Premier League this summer with the help of AI.Football 365 is literally AI's prediction, saying, `It's as absurd as saying it's definitely transferring like Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Tottenham's Son Heung-min, although it's AI's captaincy.'

Salah's move to Real Madrid came in 10th and Harry Maguire's move to West Ham came in first. It was sixth place that caught the eye. AI expected Son Heung-min to move to Atletico Madrid. The transfer fee amounted to 57 million pounds (about 101.3 billion won).

Football 365 says it is increasingly likely that Son's future will leave Tottenham in recent months. "This is the last chance to cash in on their beloved striker,' he said. "'Son Heung-min's transfer to Atletico Madrid has never actually been considered, but given the player's characteristics and coach Diego Simeone's insistence on training, I think the two will go well together.'"

AI predicted Son Heung-min's transfer possibility because of Son's remaining contract. Son Heung-min's existing contract will expire after next summer. Tottenham need to sign a new contract, but it seems that they are taking the strand toward the option of a one-year extension.

Initially, Tottenham is expected to offer Son Heung-min a long-term renewal this summer. There have been constant talks about renewing contracts around Christmas last year. As Son Heung-min also loves Tottenham, the contract is expected to be renewed without difficulty. But the tide has changed. The Athletic said, `Son Heung-min is still an integral part of the team. Tottenham will invoke the option of a one-year extension to keep him tied to the club until 2026' Another British media outlet, 90min 'Tottenham will enter the final year of Son's contract. It said it would invoke an option to extend this to 2026'

Football Insider also reported on the 25th that `Tottenham will invoke Son Heung-min's option to extend his contract.' Citing an interview with former Tottenham defender Alan Hutton, Football Insider said Son Heung-min's one-year option is the cornerstone for future sales. Football Insider said Tottenham will be guaranteed to receive a large transfer fee to Son Heung-min by invoking the contract extension clause. Hutton appeared to have put a clause in the contract to protect him, according to Football Insider. They will invoke the option, and get two seasons. And if anyone tries to recruit Son during that period, Tottenham will be able to receive an amount that would recognize Son's value. Son Heung-min said, "I still have a lot to give as a striker or winger."

Spursweb had a completely different view. Spurs Web said on the 27th that Tottenham is set to sign Son Heung-min's extension contract. Son Heung-min's one-year contract extension has strategic implications. This is to lay the groundwork for long-term renewal after securing an additional year. Considering Son Heung-min's influence and position at Tottenham, it is essential to tie him up with a new contract,' he said. Spursweb quoted Hutton's argument and noted that Hutton was Son's versatility. In addition to extending the contract, negotiations on renewing the contract for three to four years are expected before the new season (2024-2025 season) begins. The move is aimed at defending Tottenham's most valuable player in the team.

As the situation became like this, many teams showed interest in Son Heung-min. The most active club was Fenerbahce, where Jose Mourinho was appointed. Mourinho, who suffered a shock dismissal at AS Roma, has saved a new team in five months. It was Fenerbahce, a prestigious city in Turkiye. Football365 reported that `Son Heung-min is one of five who can join Jose Mourinho in Fenerbahce.' Football 365 recommended five players, including Son Heung-min, Armando Broja (Chelsea), Victor Lindelof (Manchester United), Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea), and Willian (Fulham).

Football365 said, `Mourinho was disappointed at Tottenham, but he got the best two-top of Son Heung-min and Harry Kane. Son Heung-min is the Tottenham player who played the most time under Mourinho. He scored 29 goals and 25 assists in 70 matches under Mourinho. Son Heung-min also scored double-digit goals and helped this season (17 goals and 10 assists)." Son Heung-min's all-round play, however, is declining. Son Heung-min is in the same situation as Kane last year. Son Heung-min pointed out that he is in the last year of his contract.

Eventually, Chairman Daniel Levy stepped up. Turkiye media Photomak introduced what Chairman Levi mentioned about Son Heung-min's transfer. Chairman Levi said, `The news of Son Heung-min's transfer to Fenerbahce is a complete lie. Such an argument is said to mean that it is not true. There has been constant news that several clubs, including Saudi Arabia and Paris Saint-Germain, want Son Heung-min.

Saudi's RT Hard showed interest in Son Heung-min in June last year. The transfer fee alone reached $65 million. The annual salary was also enormous. For Son Heung-min, who is nearing the end of his career, it was news that would tempt his ears. But I refused. Son Heung-min said after the A match against El Salvador in June, `If I wanted to go to Saudi Arabia, I wouldn't be here now (laughs). "I love soccer, money is important, but playing in the Premier League is a dream." "(Ki) Sung-yong also said, "In the past, Korean captains do not go to China." Money doesn't matter to me right now,' he said, dismissing the trip to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is still known to be interested in Son Heung-min.

Unlike the noisy outside situation, Son Heung-min is now starting to prepare for the new season in earnest. Son Heung-min, who finished the 2023-2024 season after the second Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North Korea-China World Cup, took a break in Korea for about six weeks and played various schedules. Son Heung-min left for London on July 7. Son Heung-min plans to join Tottenham and improve his physical condition in earnest.

Son Heung-min had a busy schedule in Korea. On the 5th, he appeared at a soccer field in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, and played against a team of ordinary people. More than 2,000 people gathered to see him, and the police were dispatched.

On the 6th, he appeared at an event to commemorate the release of F50 soccer shoes by his sponsor Adidas. Son Heung-min once again summarized the 'Walkle debate' here. Son Heung-min said, `The world class should not be controversial. The argument itself is because I'm not a world class." When asked to choose what he wants to achieve the most among 'Tottenham's league win', 'Tottenham's European Champions League win', and 'Korea's World Cup semifinal re-enactment', 'All sports are about remembering WINNER and WINNER being left behind. I really want to try the 4th round of the World Cup, but I always want to be WINNER. I'll choose to win"If it was a World Cup victory, I would have chosen the World Cup. Of course, I really want to advance to the World Cup semifinals."

Son Heung-min has a visit to Korea this summer, but has returned to the UK for now. Tottenham will play six friendly matches this summer. Tottenham will move to East Asia after facing Hearts (Scotland) on the 18th and Queens Park Rangers (QPR, England) on the 20th. On the 27th, he will return to Korea after a friendly match with last year's J-League champion Vissel Kobe at the Tokyo National Stadium. After two years, I'm going to play 'Coupang Play Series'. Son Heung-min and Tottenham will play the first game against 'Team K League' at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 31st of this month. At 8 p.m. on August 3, he will face Bayern Munich, where Kim Min-jae, the core of South Korean soccer defense, plays at the same stadium. After the Asian tour, Tottenham will play its second friendly match against Bayern again in England on the 11th of that month. Tottenham, which concludes its pre-season friendly schedule with this game, will immediately begin preparing for the opening of the 2024-2025 season.

Tottenham begin the new season with their first game against Leicester City on August 20. Son Heung-min scored 17 goals and 10 assists last season, making it his third 10-10 entry in the English Premier League (EPL). Son Heung-min has risen to the ranks of EPL legends in name and reality. Shouldered Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Eric Cantona, Wayne Rooney and Mohamed Salah. "Only six players, including Son Heung-min, have scored 10 goals and 10 assists on the EPL stage more than three times," said Squaka, a statistics company. "Sonny (Son Heung-min) is on the legendary list." Rooney had the most number of 10-10, followed by Cantona and Lampard with four. Drogba and Salah recorded a total of three times.

As Harry Kane left for Bayern, Son Heung-min, who wore not only the main gun but also the captain's armband, shook off public concerns and proved it again. Son Heung-min is undoubtedly Tottenham's best player. After the season, various media raised their thumbs. Score 90 selected and announced the top five players for each position. Son Heung-min proudly ranked third in the left winger category. He was named the third after Vinicius Junior, who led Real Madrid to the European Champions League, and Kylian Mbappe, the world's best player who recently confirmed his trip to Real Madrid.

He was then proudly listed in the top 10 in the list of the top 30 strikers in 2024 selected and announced by global sports media 'ESPN'. Son Heung-min beat out Cristiano Ronaldo and Roberto Lewandowski, the standard of striker. ESPN said, `Son Heung-min can use both feet well and has an impressive finishing ability. 'One of the five English Premier Leaguers who scored 17 goals and 10 assists in the 2023-2024 season, with 10-10 or more.' Then 'Son Heung-min was the same even with a new coach in a new style. Son Heung-min, one of the EPL's most consistently successful players and top goalscorers, praised him for having averaged 15.6 goals and 8.4 assists in the EPL over the past five seasons.

Son Heung-min received a happy birthday upon his return. Tottenham celebrated Son Heung-min's birthday on the club's SNS on the 8th. Son, who was born on July 8, turned 32 on the day. Tottenham even made a special tribute video with the phrase "'ALEGEND IS BORN'. In addition, Tottenham also released a video titled 「Tottenham captain」 that shows Son Heung-min's appearance as if he is moving by connecting it with a picture.

There was also a special event. Tottenham also produced a video of leaving a birthday message for Son Heung-min to players entering the training ground. Starting with vice-captain James Maddison, many Tottenham players, including Hishalisson, Fraser Forster, Timo Werner, Pedro Porro, Emerson Royal, Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr and Sergio Reguilon, left birthday messages for Son Heung-min on camera. In the video, Son Heung-min opened the balloon himself in the box to check after his teammates' congratulations, and did not forget to thank him for the congratulatory message. Son Heung-min is trying to advance to the European Champions League in the new season.

vanbasten@sportschosun.com

'AT, why didn't you come? How can I get there when there's no call?' Son Heung-min is going to Atletico for 100 billion won? Rumors of AI's absurd transfer 'Hwa-je'

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