Son not one of Premier League's best? Kane link-up says otherwise
He has been a standout performer in the Premier League this season, but Spurs' Son Heung-min says he does not see himself as one of the division's best players.
Son Heung-min says there is no secret to his potent partnership with Tottenham Hotspur team-mate Harry Kane beyond time and hard work, though he does not rank himself among the Premier League's best.
Son has been a potent weapon in attack for the majority of his Spurs career, reaching double figures for Premier League goals in all but one of his previous five seasons.
Free-scoring Son continuing fruitful Kane partnership
The South Korea star is well on course to achieving that feat once again in 2020-21, having scored eight times in as many games during a fine start to the new campaign.
But it has not just been Son's individual goalscoring form that has caught the eye – his partnership with Kane has been prolific, as the pair have already equalled a record for the amount of goals two Spurs players have combined for in a single Premier League season (nine).
This understanding, although now attracting attention, is not new. Kane's winner against Burnley at the end of October, which was set up by Son, took them on to 29 goal combinations in the league, second only to Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard at Chelsea.
"Kane and I have played together for a long time"
In a YouTube interview with the Korean Football Association while on international duty, Son said: "Kane and I have played together for a long time. It's common to try to develop [the partnership] at every moment. He is younger than me, but he always plays hard."
His link-up with Kane is not the only area that shows how Son is excelling, though.
Son's 18 chances created puts him in the top five in England's top flight, while he has been involved in a league-high 13 goal-ending passing sequences.
His direct style of play has always made him a threat, but now he appears to be using that to his advantage better than anyone else in the division, with six of his ball carries leading to a goal and 11 resulting in a shot – no player can match him in either metric.
Son says he has "never once" thought of himself as one of Premier League's best
Yet Son remains humble, adamant the idea of him being one of the best players in the league has not even crossed his mind.
"I've never once thought I am among the best players in the Premier League," he continued. "Honestly, I've never thought that for a moment. I have always tried to do my best for Tottenham and in the national team and try to show all my abilities.
"It feels different to play for the national team and for Spurs. We will prepare well so that we can play as well as we can for the fans."