Tottenham get £44m off-pitch boost thanks to Son Heung-Min

Add as preferred source on Google

Tottenham are set to record a £48m financial boost soon – and that is in part thanks to talisman Son Heung-Min.

The Spurs captain moved into fifth in the club’s all-time list of scorers in 2024, having netted 162 times since his move from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015.

However, the 32-year-old’s influence extends well beyond the field of play.

The commercial benefits of having a player from a certain territory can sometimes be overstated – but in the case of Son at Spurs, his impact has been demonstrably huge.

Spurs directors have talked publicly about their growth in East Asia since the South Korean signed, with the club now being one of the most well supported in the region.

Daniel Levy has taken Spurs to Asia again this summer, where they will play pre-season fixtures in Japan and South Korea.

And the upside of having a commercial phenomenon like Son in the books has been further illustrated by the club’s latest official announcement.

• READ MORE SPURS FINANCE NEWS: Tottenham may be missing out on next Harry Kane amid £140m transfer reveal

Son Heung-Min key as Spurs secure new commercial deal

Son is often front and centre of any promotional materials the club produces for new commercial deals.

That was the case when Spurs made luggage company Tumi the official sponsor of their 2022 pre-season tour of South Korea.

The club further cemented that relationship a year later when they struck partnerships with the Spurs men’s and women’s team last year.

And, in the latest development on Wednesday (24 July), Spurs announced that they had renewed the deal with Tumi.

Significantly, Son has been a global brand ambassador for Tumi for over two years and the success of that alliance was one of the catalysts for both parties to extend their partnership.

Spurs’ commercial income rose by £44m over the last two financial years, from £184m to £228m.

The latest deal with Tumi, as well as Spurs’ recent agreement with sleeve sponsor Kraken, will ensure that the North London club surpass that figure again in 2024-25.

TBR Analysis: How spurs’ commercial revenue influences Federico Chiesa pursuit and more

A large section of Spurs fans often express frustration at Levy‘s approach to recruitment, which prioritises sustainable growth ahead of lavish transfer spending.

That is understandable that, despite their meteoric rise in stature in recent years, the club are still without a trophy since 2008.

However, in an era when spending is increasingly tied to revenue through the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, Levy’s approach will pay dividends soon.

UEFA has recently introduced a new squad cost control ratio which will eventually limit clubs to spending 70 per cent of turnover on wages, transfers and agent fees.

The Premier League is trialling a similar system on a shadow basis in 2024-24.

Spurs have one of the best wages-to-turnover ratios in the Premier League and the coming changes to the system will likely give them a better chance of competing with the likes of Man City.

This summer, they have signed Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, with 18-year-old Gangwon winger Min-hyuk Yang also believed to be close to signing for Spurs.

And Juventus attacker Federico Chiesa is also reportedly in advanced talks with Tottenham with a view to completing what would be their biggest addition of the summer to date.

Levy’s approach is such that the additions of Chiesa or any other superstar must be fully costed – and that means commercial income is absolutely crucial.

Their growth in this department in recent years means that, in future years, Spurs fans can be expected to be linked with players of Chiesa’s quality with increasing frequency.