The dog days of the transfer window are a liberating time marked by sun-stroked speculation and the promise of dreams come true. No idea is too far-fetched. No rumor too ridiculous.
We can fantasize about Spurs signing Rodrygo, Benjamin Sesko and Xavi Simons. We can hallucinate about Daniel Levy raiding Crystal Palace for Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton and Marc Guehi. We can delude ourselves into believing that Harry Kane will toss aside his lederhosen and announce a triumphant return to Hotspur Way to shatter Alan Shearer’s Premier League goal-scoring record in custom-made, lily-white Birkenstock cleats.
But there will come an hour when we wake up and are reminded that Morgan Gibbs-White is currently in Portugal with Nottingham Forest, Arsenal just signed Viktor Gyökeres, Xavi Simons looks likely to move to Chelsea, and Liverpool could spend nearly £500 million this summer with the addition of Alexander Isak.
Yet another agonizing reality we must come to terms with is the hastening conclusion of Son Heung-min’s Spurs career. Like Vito Corleone keeling over in a bucolic lemon grove surrounded by his grandchildren, we want it to be the perfect ending to the perfect career. That may be too much to ask, but the dream isn't necessarily a delusion.
It's all lining up for Son Heung-min
Despite rampant speculation about Sonny’s impending departure, it is unlikely he joins Hugo Lloris at LAFC this summer. First of all, Son evidently has a clause in his contract that obligates him to travel on Spurs’ preseason tour to Hong Kong and Korea, where he will be fêted by millions of adoring fans. Secondly, the league phase of Champions League ends on January 28, 2026. Delaying his departure from Spurs would give him eight more matches to play on Europe’s biggest stage and add to his Asian goal-scoring record. Moreover, the MLS season ends in mid-October and doesn’t start again until late February. Son would presumably welcome a few weeks' rest to acclimate to life in La La Land before he would need to start training with his new teammates in the US.
Professional and contractual factors aren't the only stars that align for Son's winter departure. There are emotional reasons, as well. The MLS Primary Transfer Window opens on January 31, 2026, which coincides with the final day of the winter transfer window in England. It is plausible that Son Heung-min could finalize a deal with LAFC “Equipment Manager” Will Ferrell before breakfast and lace up his boots one last time later that morning at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.
He could walk out onto the pitch wearing the captain’s armband with the entire footballing world watching, dreaming, craving for him to beat Rico Lewis on the left, cut inside, and curl a signature worldie into the top right corner from 25 yards out. He could run toward the south stands with his teammates and take one last iconic photograph of enraptured Tottenham Hotspur fans.
North London would explode. The mist would descend on the eyes of millions. Song would echo from Albion to Asia: “Nice one, Sonny! Nice one, Son! Nice one, Sonny! Let’s have another one!” And perhaps somewhere in the crowd, someone overcome with pride and love and sorrow would initiate an unprecedented tribute to a foreign player that would reverberate around Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: "He's one of our own... He's one of our own... Son Heung-Min... He's one of our own!"
This is how he paints his masterpiece. The perfect ending to the perfect career of the perfect player. A Spurs legend goes out on his own terms. Thankfully, this dream might actually come true.