Tottenham Hotspur has signed South Korean teenager Yang Min-hyuk, marking the latest move by East Asian players to English clubs in 2024. This signing reflects a broader trend as clubs seek players similar to Son Heung-min.
Son, Tottenham's captain and South Korea’s national team leader, has significantly influenced the influx of East Asian players into European soccer over the past decade. Yang, at 18, becomes the youngest South Korean to join a top-tier English club. He will relocate to London in January after completing the current season with Gangwon FC, where he has scored eight goals and provided four assists in a standout K-League season.
Yang commented on his move, stating, “I’m moving abroad so adapting is very important. But there is Sonny (Heung-min) who will be a big help for my adapting process because we’re both Korean. Sonny is the captain of our national team and I’d say he had a big influence over my decision.”
Son Heung-min, a joint top scorer in the English Premier League in 2022, is well-known in Asian soccer. His influence is echoed by other East Asian players in the Premier League, including South Korean Hwang Hee-chan at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Simon Chadwick, professor of geopolitical economy and sport at SKEMA Business School, noted, “English clubs are traditionally conservative organizations, they don’t typically like to take risks but players such as Son and Mitoma have reassured prospective buyers that they are getting good deals. Son in particular combines high quality play and consistency of performance with a stable personality and commercial appeal, which Tottenham secured at a relatively low cost.”
The Japanese and Korean markets are considered cost-effective compared to European transfers. Yang’s transfer fee was reported at $5 million, while Brighton paid just over $3 million for Mitoma.
This trend extends to England’s second tier, with Japanese winger Yu Hirakawa joining Bristol City on loan from Machida Zelvia, South Korean forward Eom Ji-sung moving to Swansea City, and Bae Jun-ho heading to Stoke City in January. Additionally, Paik Seung-ho joined Birmingham City, and Blackburn Rovers and Hull City have been linked with Japanese winger Yuki Ohashi and South Korea’s Song Min-kyu, respectively.
Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham’s head coach, has experience with Asian soccer from his time in Japan and with Celtic. He noted, “I really believe that Japan is producing some world-class players, who are already making their mark on the Premier League.” Postecoglou’s remarks came before Tottenham’s recent exhibition match with Vissel Kobe, which they won 3-2, with Son scoring a goal. Tottenham is scheduled to face a K-League select XI in Seoul on Wednesday.
Postecoglou also acknowledged the impact of Korean players in Europe, stating, “Again, I am well aware of the quality of the K-League. They’ve made a fantastic impact in Europe, a lot of Korean players, none bigger and none better than our own Sonny.”
