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We’ve been hearing about Son Heung-Min’s new Tottenham Hotspur contract for what feels like months now, and it’s been all good news. Sonny apparently still loves it in north London and wants to get a deal over the line, while the club also wants to keep the good times rolling.
The only thing we haven’t gotten is a formal announcement that the new contract is signed. That’s okay, according to Jose Mourinho, who told the press after Spurs’ 2-0 win over West Brom that the club is slowing things down due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
“Son is not a problem, he has a contract still for a couple of years if I’m not wrong, maybe even three. I believe, just to wait for the right moment to do it.
“Probably this situation with the world where we are, the COVID situation, I don’t think it’s the right moment for players and clubs to discuss contracts with so many people losing jobs and not working and difficulties.
“I believe that when the sun shines again for the world, I believe the club and Sonny they are going to arrive quite easily to a conclusion.”
Sure, fine, that makes sense. With so many clubs hemorrhaging money, including Tottenham, it does feel as though it’s fine to wait to seal the deal until the situation in the UK improves with regards to the coronavirus. You do get the sense, reading the tea leaves, that most of the pre-contract stuff has already been agreed to at some level, even informally. You could probably convince yourself that the ongoing drama over Mourinho’s tenure at the club could be a factor in Sonny’s decision, but also, times being as they are, you can forgive Sonny if he might want to keep an escape hatch in the event that the virus takes longer to subside than anticipated.
And really, there’s no hurry. Sonny’s contract doesn’t expire until 2023, and all parties seem to want this to happen. I’m not particularly worried. We all want to see Sonny smiling and signing a piece of paper, but I’m willing to wait for the “right moment” if the club is.