Yang Min-hyuk is still starring in the K-League this summer as a transfer to Tottenham moves ever closer.
Yang, 18, continues playing for league leaders Gangwon despite a deal between the two clubs already being at an advanced stage for a January move. The winger has shown no signs that the interest is impacting his performances. Instead, it is quite the opposite.
In the last week, Yang has scored three goals and assisted another. Two strikes against Jeju United last Saturday ended the teenager's longest run of games without directly contributing to a goal, illustrating the remarkable consistency he has shown throughout this debut season.
Yang now has eight goals on the year, and the latest against Jeonbuk was one of his best. Receiving a pass from Gangwon forward Jin-hyuk Cho in the right half-space with only the opposition left-back Jin-su Kim in front of him, Yang let the ball run across his body onto his right foot and takes a touch to create space between him and the onrushing defender closing him down.
The touch takes Yang just inside the penalty area, and he then hits the ball early to evade an incoming challenge and fires a strike high into the top corner at the near post past Jun-hong Kim. Jeonbuk's goalkeeper is considered one of the league's best after keeping ten clean sheets in 19 matches this season, but he stood no chance of keeping the effort out.
After giving his team the lead with that opening goal, Yang turned provider ten minutes into the second half by playing in Kyeong-min Kim to double Gangwong's lead and crown a man-of-the-match performance. Attention now turns to next week's Spurs pre-season friendly against Team K League, with Yang part of the squad after being voted by fans as the league's best young player.