Spurs struck gold with star who was worth more than Saka in 2021

With Ange Postecoglou at the helm, there’s a palpable sense that Tottenham Hotspur are undergoing a transformation that could elevate the club to a new level, unseen in many years.

Less than five years ago, Mauricio Pochettino led Spurs to the Champions League final, and while defeat was inflicted upon the London club, the progress that had been made was remarkable.

Not only are Tottenham now entertaining and attractive as a performer, but they are cohesive and working toward a goal, a far cry from the discordance of the 2022/23 campaign, where Antonio Conte’s side slumped to an eighth-placed Premier League finish and consequently missed out on Champions League football this term.

Of course, it certainly is not a finished product, the Lilywhites have improved but their polish is still flaking, with inconsistency keeping Postecoglou’s squad five points behind Aston Villa in the top four, albeit with a game in hand.

Chairman Daniel Levy has recruited wisely and some brilliant work at youth level has seen Tottenham’s academy rise to one of the best around, the U21s currently top of the Premier League 2 and undefeated too.

Still, the young guns might be the future but there are still a few old dogs around who know a trick or two, with Heung-min Son, amid all this fresh talent, possibly Tottenham’s best and most influential player.

Heung-min Son’s transfer value in 2021

Son was promoted to club captain back in the summer, relinquishing the armband from veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris after the Frenchman’s decline last term saw the club sign Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli.

The captaincy may have gone to Harry Kane, but the England international completed a stunning transfer to Bayern Munich, closing the door on a Tottenham career that has placed him as the club’s record goalscorer across all competitions combined.

For Son, who already captained South Korea, it was a chance to rise from prolific marksman to inspiring talisman, having been a real threat in England across many years since signing from Bayer Leverkusen for £22m way back in 2015.

Indeed, while Son only scored four Premier League goals during his first campaign, he has now plundered a total of 158 goals and 86 assists across 396 displays for Spurs, with Postecoglou marvelling at his “world-class player” at present.

The South Korean forward is the highest-scoring Asian player in Premier League history and has maintained a constant flow of firepower across his near-decade in the English top-flight, with his transfer value shooting him up into the upper echelon of high-value players as a result.

Indeed, back in 2021, Son was marked with £60m worth by Football Transfers’ valuation model, with the 2020/21 campaign seeing the 31-year-old post 22 goals and 17 assists in all competitions.

This placed him at a higher value than Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka at the time, who was albeit only a teenager at the time but fast-rising as one of the Premier League’s hottest commodities, boasting a market price of £38m.

Of course, Saka is now one of the finest players in world football – aged 22 – and has scored 16 goals and added 15 assists this season as Mikel Arteta’s side chase down the Premier League and Champions League titles.

But he was still an impressive and prodigious prospect back in 2021, playing across a range of roles for the Gunners and playing an instrumental role in the resurgence that now prods against silverware of the highest order.

Heung-min Son’s transfer value in 2024

At present, Son has seen a depreciation in his market value, a by-product of a dismal year in 2022/23 that saw the £190k-per-week ace struggle at the centre of Tottenham’s issues, with pundit Tam McManus remarking that he was “so far off the pace” as he scored just ten times in the Premier League, poor by his standards.

Currently, Football Transfers value him at £31m, with his 32nd birthday approaching right after the campaign’s conclusion, but there’s no question that he has stepped up to the plate this season and is now performing as one of the Premier League’s foremost forwards.

The thing is, Son might not have a staggering worth anymore, but he’s been at the top of his game this term and, under Postecoglou’s wing, there’s a sense that he could be the leader to guide Tottenham toward success once again, perhaps even galvanising his peers to clinch a coveted piece of silverware after years and years of fruitlessness.

Heung-min Son’s season in numbers

Principally a left-sided attacker, Son has compensated for Kane’s departure as the focal frontman this season, sharing the workload with his revived sharpshooting partner Richarlison.

But while Richarlison is riding a red-hot run of scoring form – the Brazilian has nine Premier League goals from his past ten outings – he doesn’t offer the same dynamism or multi-functionality as Son, despite competence in the same roles.

That’s no disrespect to Richarlison’s skill set, it’s just an illustration of how good Son is. The impressive star has scored 13 league goals from 22 starts this season as he alternates from the wing to centre-forward, but he has also racked up six assists, created 14 big chances, and averaged 1.8 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

This shows that the attacker has been a regular contributor in the final third with his ability to score goals and create high-quality opportunities for his teammates.

Moreover, as per FBref, he ranks among the top 9% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and shot-creating actions, the top 6% for pass completion and progressive passes, and the top 13% for progressive carries per 90, showcasing his influence across different facets.

Son might not have the loftiest of price tags anymore but he is undoubtedly one of the Premier League’s best players and is showing no sign of slowing, matching the likes of Saka for quality and then some, which is why the club hit the jackpot when they signed him from Leverkusen.