Gary Neville hails Son Heung-min insisting the Tottenham forward ‘up there’ with Mo Salah

Gary Neville has hailed Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min as ‘so underrated’, with the Sky Sports pundit insisting the forward must be held in the same regard to Raheem Sterling and Mo Salah.

The South Korean has got his campaign off to a flying start, with his winner against Burnley on Monday night taking his tally to nine goals and four assists in eight outings.

The 28-year-old has struck up a formidable strike partnership with Harry Kane, as Jose Mourinho’s side look to climb the Premier League table after an altogether disappointing 2019-20 season.

The South Korean has enjoyed a blistering start to the season with nine goals in eight games

And Neville has heaped praise on the livewire forward, claiming that it is high time the Spurs attacker is acclaimed in the same manner as some of the top flight’s best.  

‘I think Son is so understated and he doesn’t get the glitz of some of the other top players in the league,’ Neville said on Monday Night Football.

‘He is an absolutely amazing player Son, he is a brilliant player. It’d be a nightmare to play against him he makes all the right runs. 

‘You talk about Sterling regularly, we talk about Mane and Salah at Liverpool, he’s right there with them. If he was at Liverpool or City he’d be doing what those lads are doing.’

Neville said that the 28-year-old does not get some of the glitz afforded to other players

The Manchester United legend added that Son is ‘up there’ with Mo Salah and Raheem Sterling

Neville added: ‘When Son was out last season he was a huge miss. As I said before the game he doesn’t get the credit. 

‘I think Jose Mourinho was asked a question last week about when does he become world class Son and Jose said he was already there.

‘They’re (Kane and Son) brilliant together, brilliant players and I think every team in the world would take Son. There isn’t a team in Europe or in the Premier League that wouldn’t take him.’

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher reinforced his colleague’s point, offering that Son would slot into both Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola’s sides with ease. 

‘If Sterling or Mane left one of those clubs you’d think Son would be one of the first players Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp would go for,’ the former defender said.

And Neville replied: ‘I absolutely agree and you said that if Mane or Salah was out for Liverpool and they could pick any player in the league it would be him (Son).’ 

Carragher reckons with the likes of Son in their attack, Tottenham can be a real danger side under Mourinho this season.

‘This team actually has pace. Not just Son, but you think of Lucas Moura, Gareth Bale now – though it is still to be seen how quick he was like he was in the past – this is what this team has got now.’

Tottenham are looking to secure the long-term future of the South Korean, with club chiefs keen to offer Son improved terms on his current £150,000-a-week deal, which expires in 2023. 

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher added that Son would fit in at the Reds or Manchester City

‘I would love that,’ said Mourinho. ‘Son has three years of contract so it’s not like we’re in an extreme situation of everybody being worried.

‘It’s more that Son loves it here, I believe that he would like to commit his future to the club for a long time.

‘Everybody at the club is totally in love with this player and this boy and is trying also to make him feel part of the furniture. It’s normal the club tries to go from three years to four or five or six, I don’t know.

‘He deserves one, and the club knows that sooner or later without any pressure they will arrive into a decision.’