15.5 billion bankruptcy Son Heung-min, Saudi Arabia is definitely not allowed! Kim Seung-gyu's team from GK University, Al Shabab, delayed payment of wages

Mar 05, 2025

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It has been proved again why Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) should not accept going to Saudi Arabia. The chronic wage arrears broke out again. Kim Seung-gyu, a former goalkeeper of the Korean national team, became a scapegoat. Kim Seung-gyu's team, Al Shabaab, has been in a financial crisis and has not been able to pay the first team's salary for three months.

British media Tribune reported on the 4th (Korea time) 'Al-Shabab of the Saudi Arabian League is delaying the team's salary for three months' citing Saudi media Aliyadhya. The media outlet reported that `Al-Shabab has delayed the team's wage payment by three months due to the financial crisis. The team refused to participate in the training in protest, the report said.

Chairman Mohammed Almanzam and the club's management promised to pay the players on the 2nd, but failed to keep it. The players left the training ground in frustration, adding that the Al Shabab club's salary behind the team, coaching staff, and club staff amounted to $10.67 million (about 15.5 billion won).

There is a Korean player who has been directly damaged by this incident. Founded in 1947, Al Shabab has been played by Song Jong-guk (2010-2011), Kwak Tae-hwi (2012), and Park Joo-young (2014-2015).

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There are also Korean players who are currently affiliated with the team. It is Kim Seung-gyu, a former goalkeeper for the national team. Kim joined Al Shabab on a three-year contract in the summer of 2022. Kim Seung-gyu, who ranked fourth in the league with 34 runs in 31 league games in the 2022-2023 season, was injured while playing his second season. In January 2023, he was ruled out for the season due to a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee while training for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Qatar Asian Cup. He returned in August last year, but suffered another ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee two months later. The situation is even worse because he was injured again.

Kim Seung-gyu experienced a situation where he was not paid during rehabilitation.

The issue of overdue wages is considered one of the chronic ills of the Saudi Arabian League. Lee Chun-soo, a former member of the national team, also said on his YouTube channel in the past that `I played for Al Nasr for a season in 2009, and I have been delayed.'

As Kim Seung-gyu went through an absurd situation, domestic soccer fans are concerned that Son Heung-min, who was called to love in the Saudi Arabian League in the past, will experience the same situation if he enters the Saudi Arabian League. There is a growing sense of crisis that the Saudi Arabian team's proposal should never be accepted.

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The Saudi Arabian League has been competitively recruiting Europe's best players for many years with its powerful Middle East 'Oil Money'. Cristiano Ronaldo also wore Al Nasr's uniform in the January 2023 transfer market.

Al-Nasr also offered Son Heung-min a huge salary during the summer transfer market last year and pushed for recruitment. At the time, Son Heung-min rejected it, saying, `The captain of the Republic of Korea does not go to Saudi Arabia.' However, since then, the extension of the long-term contract with Tottenham has been thwarted, and it is expected to leave Tottenham soon, accepting only a one-year extension until June next year.

This means that Saudi Arabian League teams, including Al Nasr, may send a new love call to Son Heung-min. Tottenham could be shaken if a large offer comes. It is a chance to collect the transfer fee.

However, due to this incident, consensus is growing again that Son Heung-min should not accept the Saudi Arabian League's proposal. You may face a major disaster at the end of your career.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.