Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has admitted he regrets not signing Tottenham Hotspur’s Heung-min Son.
Tottenham Hotspur captain Heung-min Son has been a mainstay at the club for well over a decade. The South Korean has been a loyal servant since arriving from Germany, creating countless memories for the North London side.
His most recent strike against Bournemouth, a perfectly executed Panenka penalty, took his Premier League tally to 127 goals.
That goal saw Son draw level with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in the all-time top scorer charts. Given the Korean’s ability to both score and create, it is no surprise that every manager would have loved to have him in their side.
Jurgen Klopp’s regret over missing out on Heung-min Son
Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has now revealed that he was close to signing both the Tottenham captain and Sadio Mane when he was at Borussia Dortmund.
Speaking to Goal South Africa, Klopp admitted: “There’s a Dortmund supporter here, so I have to apologise to him because I did not sign Sadio Mane for Dortmund.
“I could say I was young and naïve, but I was not that young and not that naïve. I realised when we took him to Liverpool, ‘Oh my God, that is a lot of money for a guy I could have had years ago for much less.’
“And I could have signed Son from Hamburg at that time,” Klopp added. “I do not even remember why I did not, but then I faced him in the Premier League and thought, ‘My God, you dumb ——!’ It is crazy.”
Son’s impact for Tottenham in the Premier League
Heung-min Son has been one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League since making the switch to England.
The wide forward has terrorised defences across the division, including those of the so-called ‘Big Six’ clubs.
According to StatsMuse, Son has registered 27 goals and nine assists in 87 appearances against Big Six opposition in his career.
Of those, Arsenal have suffered the most, conceding nine times to the South Korean in 22 meetings.
Manchester City follow closely behind, with Son finding the net eight times against the reigning champions. Liverpool have conceded seven to him, while he has put five past Manchester United and three past Chelsea.
Klopp may not have signed Son when he had the chance, but the forward has gone on to prove just how devastating he can be at the highest level.