da bet sport： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
da doce： Juventus sent scouts to watch Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-Min during Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat to Liverpool, per Tuttosport.
What’s the word?
The Italian giants are already planning for the summer, per the report, and have a history of bringing in free agents, having signed both Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot in the summer.
Eriksen, of course, falls under that remit, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the season. If he does not agree an extension before January, he would be free to negotiate a deal with a foreign club in the transfer window.
However, Juve have also been gazing over Son as well, with scouts watching Sunday’s Anfield clash.
The South Korea international has scored five goals already this season, in 12 outings, and netted 20 times in 2018/19, while also providing five assists.
About time
This is really the first time that Son, valued at £72m by Transfermarkt, has been linked away from Spurs and one has to feel that it has been coming.
He has been consistently excellent throughout his career in north London, scoring 72 goals and providing 39 assists in a total of 200 appearances. That’s 111 goal involvements, at a rate of more than a goal every other game.
While Eriksen transfer rumours are 10 a penny, particularly with his contract expiring, the reports about Son should concern Spurs, particularly if they are unable to arrest their current slide.
Following their 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, they are in the bottom-half of the table and already in very real danger of failing to qualify for the Champions League; they sit eight points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
Failure to qualify for Europe would see more vultures circling in addition to Juventus; Son is perhaps their most valuable asset outside of star striker Harry Kane.
Picking up their form is key, then, before the rest of Europe realise that Son could well be attainable next summer. He would certainly add to Juventus’ squad and that of most elite European clubs.
Spurs cannot afford to lose him, but a disastrous season could make that a genuine possibility next summer.