Not all players are lured by the big money that clubs from Saudi Arabia are throwing at them lately. South Korean star forward Son Heung-Min decided to reject a lucrative offer from Al Ittihad in favor of staying with Tottenham Hotspur.
Last week, several reports indicated that Al Ittihad is making a move for Son and is willing to pay around $65 million to facilitate the transfer from Tottenham. The 30-year-old Heung-Min was also handed a proposal that would net him close to $33 million in annual salary across a four-year deal.
However, Al Ittihad didn’t entice Son as he wanted to keep playing in the Premier League.
“I have many things to do in the Premier League,” Son told reporter Sungmo Lee when asked about the proposal. “Money doesn’t matter to me now, and the pride of playing football, to play in my favorite league, is important. I want to play more for Tottenham in the Premier League. I’ll prepare well when I’m back to Spurs.”
Son Heung-Min had an underwhelming campaign in 2022-23, scoring only 10 Premier League goals. However, this might have been a product of the Spurs’ struggles as a team, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Son bounces back next season and returns to form.
Al Ittihad previously managed to lure Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, who signed a deal that guarantees him a $107.05 million annual salary. French midfielder N’Golo Kante is also believed to be close to joining Al Ittihad in the near future.
