Heung-min Son has made a brilliant start to life in the MLS, but he may well need a new home, temporarily at least, in the New Year. For Spurs, the temptation to bring Son back will be massive, but it would be the wrong move.
After ten years with the club, 173 goals, and one Europa League trophy, Son departed Tottenham this summer to move to America.
Naturally, Spurs were reluctant to lose Son, but the legendary Korean star was ultimately sold for around £20m to LA FC.
He’s already bagged nine goals and added three assists in ten games for his new club. Suffice it to say Son is thriving away from Tottenham, and the Lilywhites are doing pretty well without their former captain, too.
So, when the transfer window opens in January and Son needs a short loan move to keep himself sharp, the two parties should not be tempted into allowing emotion to cloud their respective judgements.
Heung-min Son could return to Spurs, but he shouldn’t
Just this weekend, Son promised he would return to Tottenham to bid a proper farewell to the fans. He left the club this summer with his last game actually being played in his native South Korea, so he’s not had a chance to bow out at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The most obvious solution to this would be for Spurs to arrange a friendly against LA FC — much like what happened with Harry Kane and Bayern Munich. But, naturally, there are many who believe a loan move for Son in January would be a win-win for all involved.
For me, a Spurs fan, the idea of Son turning out in a Tottenham shirt again is highly tempting. However, when I think with my head instead of my heart, I realise it’s not a good idea.
From a Tottenham Hotspur perspective, it’s important to remember this is a new project under Thomas Frank. With fresh blood in the dugout and on the pitch, and even big changes in the hierarchy with Daniel Levy moving on, this is not a time to be looking backwards.
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Towards the end of his time at Tottenham, Son was struggling for fitness and form, and it’s safe to say his impact on the pitch was limited. To bring him back now, at a time when players like Mathys Tel are trying to find their feet, would not be in the best interests of anyone.
What you’d get from a month-long return for Son would be a wave of nostalgia, the odd cameo appearance here and there, and a nice goodbye. You’d also have a player Frank would feel almost obliged to play, limiting game time for other players who are a more permanent part of the burgeoning Spurs project.
Instead, it would be far more shrewd to put all of the focus on finding a new attacker in January who can carry Tottenham forward for the long-term. Leave Son’s legacy where it is: as the captain who delivered Tottenham’s first trophy in 17 years, rather than bringing him back for one last swansong that may or may not pay off.
Thierry Henry’s brief Arsenal return proves it’s not worthwhile
Spurs only have to look at their fierce rivals Arsenal for an idea as to how this could all play out. The Gunners took Thierry Henry back on loan in 2012 for a brief spell during the MLS off-season, and they only got 162 minutes out of him. He didn’t start a single game.
Granted, Henry scored two goals in seven games, including a winner in the FA Cup third round. But, at that time, Henry was a signing Arsenal needed just as much as they wanted.
It’s also worth noting, Henry’s return came around four-and-a-half years after he first left the club. It was a symbolic and cathartic move as much as it was a footballing decision.
The opposite is true of Tottenham. They don’t really need Son, hence why they sold him just three months ago. Let’s be honest, no one would be mad if he did come back, but it’s just not the right play at this moment in time for a club looking to break into a new era.