Over recent years, Tottenham Hotspur have been blessed with a plethora of attacking talents, but not many have been able to achieve the feats set by Heung-min Son.
The South Korean arrived in North London from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 as an unknown quantity to many supporters, but it’s safe to say he’s now a club legend after his decade-long stint.
He racked up a staggering 454 appearances for the Lilywhites across all competitions, subsequently managing to find the net on 173 occasions – the fourth most in the club’s history.
Son also managed to register 101 assists during his time at the club, with other teams in the Premier League often left astonished by his efforts in the final third.
However, boss Thomas Frank hasn’t had the chance to work with him after his move to LAFC in the summer, subsequently handing the Dane the responsibility of finding a replacement.
Spurs’ failed move to land Antoine Semenyo in January
During the recent January transfer window, Spurs no doubt wanted to improve the depth and quality in forward areas, with numerous first-team members currently spending extended periods on the sideline.
Antoine Semenyo emerged as a key target even before the window opened, with the Ghanaian international a player who started the 2025/26 campaign in remarkable form.
The 26-year-old scored 10 times in his first 20 league outings for the Cherries this season, with the winger netting his final goal for the club with his last-minute strike against the Lilywhites.
Spurs were no doubt keen on his signature prior to his goal against them, but their efforts to land him were in vein, as he joined Manchester City for a reported £65m.
Frank even spoke out about missing out on Semenyo’s signature in recent weeks, claiming that ‘football is not like Football Manager’ with Pep Guardiola’s men storming into the race and securing his services.
To add salt into the wounds for the Lilywhites faithful, the new City man managed to find the back of the net during Sunday’s clash, subsequently inflicting further pain on Frank’s men.
The Spurs star who could be their own Semenyo
After missing out on Semenyo’s signature, the attacker has managed to take his career to the next level at the Etihad, subsequently registering four goals and an assist in his first five appearances under Guardiola.
His recent form in the Premier League highlights why Frank and Spurs wanted a deal for his signature, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be.
As a result, the hierarchy will no doubt be drawing up plans to improve the left-wing position in the summer, with no player able to cement it as their own since Son’s departure.
The likes of Randal Kolo Muani, Xavi Simons and Richarlison have all featured in such a role, but with such a role being unnatural to the trio, they have struggled to produce the desired results.
Such struggles will no doubt see the club delve into the market, but they could already have a ready made replacement on their books in the form of Yang-min Hyeok.
The 19-year-old joined the Lilywhites from Gangwon FC back in January 2025, undoubtedly being brought into the club for the future years rather than the present.
Such a deal was undoubtedly an exciting one, with the youngster scoring 12 times in his 38 appearances for his homeland club, prior to his switch to England this time last year.
He’s since been sent on three separate loan spells to England’s second-tier to get used to the demands of football in this country, with QPR and Portsmouth taking a gamble on the youngster.
However, he was recalled for his stint with the latter of the two clubs, subsequently joining promotion-chasing side Coventry City on loan until the end of the season.
Such a move came after scoring three times in his 17 appearances at Fratton Park, including a 98th minute winner against Charlton back at the end of December.
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Yang Min-hyeok – Championship stats (2025/26) |
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|---|---|
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Statistics (per 90) |
Tally |
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Games played |
17 |
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Goals & assists |
3 |
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Pass accuracy |
72% |
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Touches in opposition box |
3.7 |
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Fouls won |
1.5 |
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Recoveries made |
5.1 |
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Shots on target |
0.7 |
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Chances created |
1.4 |
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Stats via FotMob |
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He’s so far made three appearances for Frank Lampard’s side, with the winger having to resort to minutes off the substitutes bench to showcase his talents.
However, despite his recent lack of football, it’s clear he’s a player who has a huge ceiling, with South Korean football expert Jason Lee suggesting that he “is expected to be Korea’s next superstar, like Son-Heung min”.
There’s no doubt the youngster has a long way to go before reaching such heights, but it’s evident that a lot of people are backing the teenager to be a hit during his time in North London.
Should he reach the dizzy heights many are tipping him to, Yang could well prove to be the club’s answer to Semenyo, with his eye for goal something he shares with the Ghanaian.
Missing out on the now City star will no doubt have been a bitter blow, but it could prove to be a blessing in disguise if the South Korean can emulate his compatriot with the Lilywhites in the near future.
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