Tottenham Hotspur spent just under €150 million on new players in the summer, in the hope of helping Ange Postecoglou get the North London club back into the top four of the Premier League. Most of that money went towards new striker Dominc Solanke, who joined the club from Bournemouth in a record-breaking €64.3m move. While the vast majority of what was left in the budget was spent on exciting, young players like Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall, who have proven to be useful squad players for the Spurs manager this season.
However, the smallest allocation of resources was put aside to tie down a deal for a young winger from South Korea, who could end up playing a large part in Tottenham’s current league campaign. Signed for a mere €4m, Tottenham signed Gangwon winger Min-hyeok Yang up to a five-year contract, before agreeing to let the young star stay at the K League club for this season. But those plans quickly changed when Postecoglou’s side experienced a tricky start to the season and now reports in England are strongly suggesting that the 18-year-old talent could end up making the move to London ahead of schedule and join Tottenham’s squad in January. So who is Yang and how much help could he be to Tottenham this season?
How highly rated is Min-hyeok Yang in South Korea?
At just 18 years of age, Yang obviously hasn’t had an extensive amount of exposure in his native country but in the short period of time he has played for Gangwon he has quickly earned a huge amount of praise. In 37 games to date for the club, the winger has bagged an impressive 11 goals and six assists. That incredible return in front of goal earned Yang the player of the month award in the Korean top-flight in just his fifth month of senior football for Gangwon, making him the youngest player to achieve such a feat in the history of the competition. Such form has not only won him a move to Tottenham, but also seen him recently get nominated for the Player of the Year award in the K League. “He is the player everyone is talking about right now and for almost twelve months,” said Tiberius Radziejewski, Transfermarkt’s Asian football expert. “Having signed his first professional contract just half a year ago, he quickly became an irreplaceable figure for Gangwon, breaking several records on the way. His consistency is remarkable, shown in countless awards this season.”
How good is Min-hyeok Yang?
As previously noted, the young winger clearly enjoys scoring goals and creating them for team mates too. Despite his young age, Yang’s 17 goals and assists in this season’s K League was the seventh best return among all players in the division and just four off league leader Anderson Oliveira. Remarkably enough, Yang’s goal contributions far outperformed all other players in his age range in the league, with the next best forward aged 21 or younger in the K league managing just five over the course of the season. “At his age, he stands out as such a well-rounded player,” added Radziejewski, when asked about Yang’s main strengths. “He is known for aggressively taking on defenders in one-on-ones, while maintaining his impressive pace and following through with clever, precise shooting. He is one of the fastest players in the league and likes to play on both wings. He excels in cutting inside to score with either foot or pushing the ball forward to outpace defenders.”
Whether through lazy stereotypes or because of both players now earning a wage from Tottenham, comparisons to Premier League star Heung-min Son have inevitably begun to appear online. But while it seems far too early to draw any serious conclusions about Yang’s potential, there may be some clear similarities between Tottenham’s new signing and their 32-year-old talisman. “A Korean player signing with Spurs naturally brings to mind Son,” said Radziejewski. “Indeed, there are some obvious similarities between Son and Yang: both possess brilliant speed, love taking on defenders, and are comfortable with either foot. However, their playing styles differ significantly upon closer observation because both rather have a different approach and style of play. Not only do they differ in physicality but also in positioning upfront. Yang tends to play more oriented to the centre in tight spaces.”
Is Min-hyeok Yang ready for the Premier League?
Tottenham’s reported decision to pull forward Yang’s arrival date in England clearly suggests that Postecoglou and his backroom staff are confident that the 18-year-old talent could have an instant impact for Spurs in the second half of the season. But that would mean throwing the young player into the deep end and asking him to thrive in the Premier League in his first experience of European football. So is Yang ready for a career-defining test? “With the ongoing injury crisis, his chances of making an impact are notably higher, noted Radziejewski. “However, at just 18 years old, he faces significant challenges, including adapting to life on the other side of the world. Having a fellow countryman at the club should help ease the transition. Tottenham's relatively young squad is another advantage. The Premier League is known for its intense physicality, which is something he certainly will need to focus on improving.”