Report: Spurs staff have realised that £22m Tottenham player has far less interest in defending now

Add as preferred source on Google

According to the report from The Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur coaching staff have noted that they can’t ask Son Heung-min to track back and defend anymore.

There was once a time when Mauricio Pochettino played the South Korean in a left wing-back role against Chelsea. The £22 million man’s work rate made Pochettino believe he could do a job there, but he ended up conceding a penalty in a 4-2 defeat.

Since then, Son has done the talking at the other end of the pitch. He has been absolutely incredible for Spurs, but as a left-winger, it is his duty to drop back and defend at times.

However, that may not happen from the start of next season.

• Alan Shearer blown away by Son Heung-min’s final day display at Norwich

Tottenham staff can’t ask Son Heung-min to track back and defend anymore

Son has had a truly remarkable season for Tottenham. The Korean finished the campaign with 24 goals and 10 assists in all competitions.

He ended the league campaign with 22 goals, more than any other player and level with Liverpool star Mo Salah. The two shared the Golden Boot, and Son proved to everybody that Harry Kane is not the only man at Tottenham who can score goals consistently.

After a season as good as this one, Spurs coaching staff now think that Son has very little interest in tracking back and defending. He wants to stay as high up the pitch as Kane, if not higher.

After the season he’s had in front of goal, Antonio Conte may as well allow him to stay high up the pitch.

TBR View:

Antonio Conte isn’t the first manager to play a three-at-the-back at Tottenham, but it has to be said that the Italian’s system suits the 29-year-old much better than his predecessors.

Son definitely does have to track back at times, especially against the bigger sides, but with Ben Davies and Ryan Sessegnon covering the left side of the defensive third really well, the South Korean has been able to just focus on attack.

That has really helped him.

Conte is set to be handed a transfer war chest this summer and he’s expected to sign better players at left wing-back and left centre-half. /if that happens, Son may well have more freedom to do what he does best next season.

• PL player says he was really blown away after facing ‘powerful’ Tottenham star Son this season