Tottenham’s decision to hold off on offering captain and fan-favourite Heung-min Son a new contract has come as a surprise to the Korean, talkSPORT understands.
Son was expecting to hold talks over a new long-term deal, but instead Spurs have decided to activate a year’s option in his existing agreement, tying him down until the summer of 2026.
Unless something changes, it means the 32-year-old will be available as a free agent at the end of next season, by which time he will have clocked up more than ten years’ service at the north London club.
Son has scored 123 goals in 311 Premier League games for Tottenham, including three this season.
He is also the only survivor from the Spurs team that started the 2019 Champions League final defeat to Liverpool.
Chairman Daniel Levy’s stance on Son will not be well-received by Tottenham fans, who are already disgruntled after losing five of their first 11 league games of the season.
FA’s England fears come true
The huge spate of withdrawals from Lee Carsley’s final England squad as interim boss has not come as a surprise to the Football Association.
talkSPORT was told last week that senior FA officials were fearing Premier League managers were ready to put pressure on their players not to report for international duty ahead of the busy festive period.
So far an unprecedented eight players, including Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, have been forced to pull out of the crucial Nations League double header with Greece and the Republic of Ireland due to injury, and that number could yet rise.
While it is not uncommon for an increased number of pull-outs for the November internationals, the fact Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor Thomas Tuchel does not take up office until the New Year has surely not helped the FA’s cause.
Realistically, England need to win in Athens on Thursday to avoid finishing second in the group.
That will leave German Tuchel with a play-off to navigate in March when the 2026 World Cup qualifiers are due to begin.
Lopetegui safe… for now
Julen Lopetegui is expected to be given a stay of execution as West Ham manager despite serious boardroom concerns over their poor start to the season and dressing room unrest.
Lopetegui’s team were booed off after Saturday’s 0-0 bore draw at home to Everton – where they were likened to ‘a bunch of trialists’ – which left the Hammers just five points clear of the relegation zone.
As previously reported in this notebook, the Spaniard is already facing an uphill battle to convince several players of his methods just 11 Premier League games into his tenure.
But, despite making it clear that performances need to dramatically improve, Hammers owner David Sullivan is determined to give Lopetegui time to turn things around after he hand-picked the Spaniard to succeed David Moyes in the summer.
That stance has raised doubts over the long-term future of West Ham’s sporting director Tim Steidten, who was pushing for the appointment of new Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim.
Steidten has been touted as a possible successor to Edu at Arsenal.
Seagulls star staying put
Brighton have no plans to cash in on their in-form Leicester loanee Facundo Buonanotte, talkSPORT understands.
Argentine trickster Buonanotte has been Leicester’s standout performer this season after joining the Premier League new-boys in August.
His dazzling form, including three goals in seven appearances, has earned admiring glances from other Premier League clubs, with Tottenham in particular tracking his progress.
But Buonanotte, who signed a new deal until 2028 shortly before making the move to the King Power Stadium, does not turn 20 until December and is seen as a major part of Brighton’s future plans.
