BERLIN (AFP) ― South Korea striker Son Heung-min turned down a host of Premier League clubs to stay in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, but could yet play in England, his agent revealed in an interview on Monday.
The 20-year-old signed a five-year deal last Thursday to switch from Hamburg to Leverkusen, who have qualified for next season’s Champions League, but his agent Thies Bliemeister has said the South Korea star could have gone to England’s top flight.
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Son Heung-min. (Yonhap News) |
“Liverpool, Tottenham, Fulham, Southampton and Cardiff all had concrete interest, so did Manchester City early on,” Bliesmeister told German daily Bild.
“Both Manchester United and Chelsea were also watching him.
“I am of the opinion he could have played at a club like Liverpool or Tottenham, but I believe Leverkusen is the right place for his future development over the next two or three years.”
Having come up through Hamburg’s youth system, after signing at the age of 16, Son was tempted by Leverkusen’s Champions League place, having secured third place in Germany’s top flight last season.
“Son feels good in both the Bundesliga and Germany, he has mastered the language,” added Bliemeister.
“It was important to play in international competition this season, especially before the 2014 World Cup.
“Certainly, the Premier League could be a future goal, but the Bundesliga will just get better and more interesting.
“Perhaps he won’t want to move away.”
