After 10 years of majestic service, Son Heung-min has called time on his Tottenham Hotspur career.
The South Korean superstar leaves Spurs as a hero, with the relationships and connections he developed in north London transcending his proficient goalscoring and relentless metric defiance.
Son’s 173 Tottenham goals rank fifth all-time, and his 127 often pinpoint league strikes see him slide into the Premier League’s top 20 leading marksman. His legendary status was secured via a glorious finale in Bilbao, with Spurs’ Europa League success allowing Son to ride off into the Californian sunset, boasting a sense of fulfilment.
If there was anyone who deserved a happy ending, it was Son.
How Spurs aim to move on in the absence of an icon remains to be seen. Mathys Tel’s loan move from Bayern Munich was made permanent at the start of the summer, but Son’s exit could force the club into the market once more to provide further mitigation.
A direct replacement for such a supreme finisher whose emotional void is seismic simply isn’t on the market, but here are four attacking options Tottenham could consider.
1. Randal Kolo Muani
Tottenham were linked with Kolo Muani in January, but the Frenchman opted to join Juventus for the remainder of the 2025–26 season.
The versatile forward enjoyed success in Turin, scoring eight times in 16 Serie A appearances, but the Bianconeri are yet to strike a deal with Paris Saint-Germain regarding a permanent purchase. The European champions are said to value Kolo Muani at €60 million (£52.2 million, $69.3 million), but may be willing to negotiate another loan deal which includes an obligation to buy.
It seems like Kolo Muani wants Juve, but the Italian giants have to do some moving around before they can think about bringing the Frenchman in for 2025–26 and beyond.
Thus, there may be a window for Spurs to swoop, with some reports suggesting that they’ve reignited their interest in the 26-year-old. Kolo Muani is the sort of flexible attacker that Thomas Frank has worked wonders with in the past.
2. Iliman Ndiaye
It’s not just Son who Spurs will look to replace during the final month of the transfer window. James Maddison’s “brutal” knee injury is set to keep him out of action for a prolonged period, and it’s imperative that they fill his creative void, given that Dejan Kulusevski is also out of action.
Everton’s Ndiaye is a left-field option, but he could help Spurs kill two birds with one stone. He’s totally unlike Son and Maddison in profile, yet versatile enough to perform a variety of roles in a Frank-led system which is bound to be flexible.
Ndiaye, who scored nine Premier League goals last term, has been excellent in preseason with the Toffees, producing some outstanding sequences with the ball at his feet. He’s a superb dribbler who’s ever so hard to dispossess, and Frank will love how hard he works out of possession.
It’s a matter of time until Ndiaye attracts interest from Europe’s elite, and Spurs would be wise to jump the queue this summer.
3. Rodrygo
If Spurs want to go down the “statement signing” route, they should’t look further than Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.
The Brazilian international looks set to leave the Spanish capital this summer after a quiet Club World Cup, but Rodrygo’s next destination remains up for debate. Arsenal and Liverpool are among those linked from the Premier League, while Spurs have only tenuously been associated with a possible swoop for the 24-year-old.
It’s hard to imagine Rodrygo in Lilywhite, with the north London club rarely able to acquire talent of the Brazilian’s ilk. The last time they attempted to do so, Paulo Dybala’s image rights stood in the way.
Nevertheless, Spurs, who were willing to spend £60 million ($79.6 million) on Morgan Gibbs-White, seemingly have cash at their disposal, but whether they’ll be able to match Madrid’s reported asking price—even if lower than the €90 million (£78.6 million, $105.7 million) they initially wanted—and Rodrygo’s wage demands are another matter. The winger may also prefer a move elsewhere.
4. Rafael Leão
Leão has been on the cusp of superstardom without breaching the threshold since his Serie A MVP-winning season in 2021–22, where he recorded 21 goal contributions and helped Milan to the Scudetto.
His numbers have been fine since, but his time in Lombardy has been plagued by inconsistency and frustration. Leão’s talent is off the charts, and there’s a sense that the Portuguese international may require a change of scenery after a tumultuous 2024–25 campaign at San Siro.
The arrival of Massimiliano Allegri has seemingly brightened Leão’s mood, with the 26-year-old suggesting that “everything has changed” since the new manager came in.
There’s been little transfer talk regarding the 26-year-old, with Milan able to demand a premium given Leão’s contract situation and his newfound contentment.
However, if Spurs fancy going big in their bid to replace Son, they shouldn’t look further than Leão, who can devastate like no other in transition, and emerge as the face of Thomas Frank’s project in N17.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Four Possible Son Heung-min Replacements for Tottenham.