It started with the appointment of Ange Postecoglou and the sale of Harry Kane in 2023, but the rebuilding of Tottenham Hotspur still has a long way to go.
For all his faults and the incredible number of injuries the Australian has had to deal with during his time in North London, he has been able to turn what was a terribly dull team under the previous managers into one capable of playing exciting football.
However, to ensure he can kick on with his process next season, Daniel Levy and Co have to continue to back his vision by signing the players he wants, like Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke and Lucas Bergvall, but also shipping off those who don’t have a long-term future in the side.
One of the players in the second camp is Son Heung-min, and while the club may be tempted to go out and splash the cash on his replacement, they might not need to, as Hotspur Way could have already produced one.
Why Son's time is coming to an end
So, before the torches and pitchforks come out, it has to be said that Son is not only an icon for Spurs but also for the Premier League as a whole.
However, just because he has been a sensational player for the Lilywhites for nearly a decade now does not mean he is irreplaceable.
In fact, the reason the club need to think about his heir is because of how long he’s been playing.
The South Korean superstar is set to turn 33 in the summer, and while he has still been surprisingly productive this term, racking up 22 goals and assists in 40 appearances, most fans will attest to the fact that he’s no longer as dynamic on or off the ball as he used to be.
Now, this is not a slight on the Chuncheon-born star’s ability, but a simple fact that he’s another footballer who’s set to be the victim of time, with research from The Athletic in 2021 revealing that wide players hit their peak at 26 years old and then suffer a steep drop-off in their ability to take defenders on when they hit 30.
Unfortunately, this struggle to beat opposition defenders is reflected in the 32-year-old’s underlying numbers, as according to FBref, Son sits in the bottom 46% of attacking midfielders or wingers in the Premier League for total successful take-ons, and the bottom 27% for the percentage of his take-ons that end in success, all per 90.
In all, the Spurs captain should be considered one of the best wingers the Premier League has seen, but it’s becoming increasingly apparent that he’s beginning to lose some of what made him so dangerous.
The good news, however, is that the club might already have the perfect heir to take his place in a year or two.
The talent who could replace Son
While the likes of Mathys Tel, who can play out wide or down the middle, and Wilson Odobert could undoubtedly prove to be brilliant wingers for Spurs, the true heir to Son might well come from Hotspur Way.
Mikey Moore hasn’t been able to play as much first-team football as some of the club’s other exciting teenage talents this season, like Archie Gray and Bergvall, but when he has stepped on the pitch, he has looked tremendously impressive.
For example, it was against AZ Alkmaar in the league phase of the Europa League that the promising prospect really announced himself as a future star, as while he didn’t score or provide an assist, he was a constant thorn in the side of the Dutch team.
Whenever he had the ball on the left, he would run at his opposing defender, and it was this impressive showing that led to James Maddison describing him as “fearless” and comparing him to Neymar Jr.
On top of standing out at the senior level, the 17-year-old dynamo has been nothing short of phenomenal for the North Londoners’ junior sides.
Games
24
5
5
Goals
19
2
0
Assists
13
2
0
Goal Involvements per match
1.33
0.80
0.00
For example, in 34 appearances for the Lilywhites’ various youth sides, the teenage force of nature has scored 21 goals and provided 15 assists, resulting in a simply sensational average of 1.05 goal involvement every game.
Ultimately, with the incredible Moore, Spurs can rest easily, safe in the knowledge that when Son eventually hangs up his boots or takes a more significant step back, they already have the perfect homegrown replacement to step in and step up.
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