‘One minute he looks an £80m player, the next…’ – Exclusive: BBC pundit baffled by Spurs star
Son Heung-Min’s performances when Harry Kane is in the Tottenham team have left Noel Whelan baffled.
The BBC pundit is a big admirer of the South Korea international but can’t fathom why he is so much more effective when talisman Kane is out injured.
Son was outstanding in midweek, scoring twice in Spurs’ sensational Champions League win over Manchester City to take his tally to three in the two semi-final clashes, all scored when the injured Kane was not on the pitch.
The 26-year-old has scored 20 goals and supplied 10 assists this season for Tottenham despite two extended spells on international duty.
Nearly half of those strikes have come when Kane has been sidelined with the two serious ankle injuries he has sustained this season.
“That is strange,” Whelan exclusively told Football Insider. “It’s not like Kane is selfish or has the same role as Son. They should complement each other perfectly, with Kane’s hold-up and link play, and Son’s movement, pace and skill.
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“Son is a brilliant player but I find it odd that one minute he looks an £80million player and the next he is almost ineffective.
“We have seen some excellent performances from Son, but we need to see it more often, and when Kane is playing. It’s probably a mental change more than anything. He realises he has to take responsibility when Kane is out of the team.”
In other Tottenham transfer news, the club “have been sniffing around” an in-form number 10 to replace Christian Eriksen.