Tottenham are reportedly keen on Hakan Calhanoglu – but he had some interesting thoughts on Son Heung-min’s move last year.
Hakan Calhanoglu celebrates after scoring
According to Sky Sports, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu, who was outspoken on Son Heung-min’s move to White Hart Lane last year.
Spurs have been fairly quiet in this summer’s transfer window, having only signed Victor Wanyama and Vincent Janssen so far – but ahead of Wednesday’s transfer deadline, Mauricio Pochettino is being linked with a number of new faces.
Hakan Calhanoglu
One player heavily linked with a move to White Hart Lane is Bayer Leverkusen star Hakan Calhanoglu, who is one of the world’s finest set piece takers.
Tottenham are believed to be looking for another creative player to add to their ranks, and Calhanoglu, 22, is one player that Spurs are looking to bring in before the transfer window closes.
The Turkish international has earned rave reviews since leaving Karlsruhe for Hamburg in 2013, and after 11 goals and five assists in his only season for the club, he moved on to Bundesliga rivals Leverkusen in 2014.
Hakan Calhanoglu celebrates after scoring for Turkey
With 21 goals and 20 assists for Leverkusen, Calhanoglu has continued to show that he’s a top attacking midfielder, possessing superb technical ability, a devastating long shot and pinpoint set piece deliveries to make up for his lack of pace.
As competition for Christian Eriksen, Calhanoglu would be an outstanding signing for Spurs, but he made some interesting comments last year about former team-mate Son Heung-min’s move to White Hart Lane.
Son left Leverkusen for Spurs a year ago, and Calhanoglu – as quoted by Goal – said he attempted to contact the South Korean in a bid to talk him out of the move, stating that Son had been badly advised in making his move.
Tottenham’s Heung Min Son in action with Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez
“I think he is badly advised,” said Calhanoglu. “I have written to him, called him, but he has not answered his phone. I am very sad, the whole team is a bit disappointed.
“When you’re 23 years old, of course you have respect for your father. But you have to sometimes make your own decisions. We were there for him always – that’s why we are sad. Everyone has tried to reach him,” he added.
Now, just one year on, Calhanoglu may be faced with the same decision – whether to stay at Leverkusen or head to England with Spurs. Having been so strongly against Son’s move, Calhanoglu will have to think long and hard about a move if Tottenham do agree a deal with Leverkusen by Wednesday night.
With Spurs playing Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, any possible decision from Calhanoglu could give some added spice in the contest, whilst he may even look to contact Son again about his fortunes in North London, given that the South Korean has endured a hit-and-miss time with Spurs so far.
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