Big summer for Son Heung-min

By John Duerden

It has been an up and down 12 months for Son Heung-min. South Korea's star forward left Germany's Bayer Leverkusen for Tottenham Hotspur in London last summer. It was the biggest transfer fee ever paid for an Asian player and fans back home were looking forward to seeing how he would perform in the English Premier League.

Son Heung-min

While there were some bright spots, it was a stop-and-start kind of season. In the league, Son was often on the bench and started just 13 games. He finished just one of those. To play the full 90 minutes just once was disappointing.

It was however, his first season and it takes time to adapt. Not only that, Spurs was challenging for the title until the very end and playing well. When a team is winning, it can be hard to get regular starts. Son scored four goals in total and there were signs that he was improving later in the season.

As first seasons in a new league go, it was either the building of a foundation towards a good second season or just the start of what is going to be a forgettable time in English football. Only time will tell.

There were signs that the club thought it was the latter as the season ended. After a dismal final game 5-1 thrashing at the hands of the hapless Newcastle United, there were reports in the English press in May that angry Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino was ready to sell a number of players including Son this summer.

Back home in Korea by that point, Son said he didn't know anything about it. "I haven't heard anything from the club regarding those transfer rumors," he said. "I'm sure my club will take care of this, and I think there is nothing special for me to be worried about.

The 23 year-old admitted that the debut campaign could have gone a little better. "My first season in the Premier League didn't meet my expectations, but I had a good experience. For my first season, I played with the thought that I should learn many things here."

There have not been follow-up reports and it remains to be seen what happens over the next few weeks, when the transfer market really starts to heat up once the European Championships come to an end.

Recent news from the club regarding the player is more encouraging. The Spurs have agreed to release Son to play for the Korean national team in the Olympics in Rio. As the football tournament in Brazil is not a FIFA-run competition, clubs are not obliged to release players. After months of waiting, Son got the go-ahead and will represent his country in South America. If he helps the team to a medal position, he, and everyone else in the roster, will be granted military exemption.

When he returns to England, it remains to be seen if he slots back into the first team. Son's first season could have been better and starting the beginning of the second thousands of kilometers away is not the best preparation. But if he does get back to London, sooner or later, he will get the chance to prove himself. This time, he has to take it.

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