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Soccer Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Luton Town v Tottenham Hotspur - Kenilworth Road, Luton, Britain - July 26, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur's Yang Min-hyeok in action with Luton Town's Tom Holmes Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
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| Photo capture=Tottenham SNS |
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'High School Winger' Yang Min-hyuk (Tottenham) finally made his first team debut. He left a strong impact from the first game.
Yang Min-hyuk was substituted in the second half of the preseason friendly match against Luton Town (second division) at Kenilworth Road in Luton, England on the 26th (Korea time). This is the first time Yang Min-hyuk has played with first-team players in Tottenham's uniform. The game ended 0-0.
Tottenham played two friendly matches on the same day. The game against Luton, which was originally scheduled, was suddenly added to the game against Wickham Wanderers of League 1 (third division). After playing Wickham behind closed doors, he played Luton four hours later. The Luton match was open to the general fans. The dualization was inevitable. Coach Thomas Frank put Son Heung-min in the match against Wickham and Yang Min-hyuk in the match against Luton. Son Heung-min started wearing the captain's armband, but failed to score an offensive point.
Matisse Tell, who was fully recruited this summer, newly brought Mohammed Kudus, young striker Mikey Moore and speed star Brennan Johnson formed an attack. However, the new offensive combination did not create a significant opportunity. Yang Min-hyuk, who was replaced by Mickey van der Penn in the 33rd minute of the second half, was a ray of frustrating play. He led Tottenham's attack with sharp movement.
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| Photo capture=Tottenham SNS |
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Yang Min-hyuk, who was positioned on the right wing, showed fast speed and vigorous activity. In the 41st minute of the second half, when the opponent's defense failed to handle it properly in a corner kick situation, he was at the forefront of the counterattack. In the 43rd minute, he connected an accurate penetration pass, creating an opportunity. He even succeeded in strong pressure, showing the most noticeable performance among the players who played on the day. Yang Min-hyuk played 13 minutes on the day, recording an 83% pass success rate, one pass to the offensive area, 100% tackle success, and two successful contests.
Yang Min-hyuk returned to Tottenham this summer. Yang Min-hyuk, who joined Tottenham in December last year, immediately left on loan to Queens Park Rangers (QPR) of the English Championship (second division). Yang Min-hyuk, who has gained experience on the British stage, returned to Tottenham along with other loan players such as Jamie Donley, Josh Keeley and George Evet. Yang Min-hyuk, who returned to the training ground with a smile and raised his thumb, warmed up using a foam roller at the Hotspur Way (Tottenham Training Center) and conducted his first training session.
Yang Min-hyuk is Tottenham's future. The British newspaper `London World' recently reported that `Thomas Frank is a good leader in developing young wingers, which is very hopeful news for Yang Min-hyuk.' We need to help this talented player explode his potential. He then said, `You can't expect too early for Yang Min-hyuk or pressure him, but Frank can grow him into a 'World Class'.'
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| Reuters Yonhap News |
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Yang Min-hyuk has gained various experiences since his first year in England. Yang Min-hyuk showed sensational performance in the K-League in the 2024 season and joined Tottenham. Tottenham asked Yang Min-hyuk to join early. It was originally scheduled to join in January 2025, but it moved to the UK faster than planned. The expectations at Tottenham were considerable. Yang Min-hyuk signed a contract for the first team, not Team B. He showed good performance in training and received favorable reviews internally.
Yang Min-hyuk, who received No. 18, calmly waited for his debut in the English Premier League (EPL) by training faithfully amid groundless rumors such as ghost rumors. In the first leg of the League Cup semifinal against Liverpool on the 9th, he was listed for the first time since entering England, and the opportunity seemed to come. However, the British media also failed to sit on the bench in the third round (round 64) of the FA Cup against Tamworth on the 12th, when they expected to play.
It was because of Tottenham's team situation. Tottenham has repeatedly been sluggish this season due to the overlapping injury demons. Rumors have emerged that Enze Postecoglou will be replaced. 'Promising stocks' It was not an environment that could give Yang Min-hyuk a steady chance. Yang Min-hyuk went on a lease and had a successful lease life at QPR. There were moments of lackluster performance, but he showed why he is the best prospect. He scored two goals and one assist in 18 games. He was also called up to the A national team.
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Coach Marty Cifuentes, who recruited him, had the pain of being replaced, but his various experiences from the first year, including loan, debut, goal, transfer of the A team, and replacement of the coach, were great nourishment for Yang Min-hyuk, who dreams of conquering England. Yang Min-hyuk, who had a busy schedule such as visiting his home team Gangwon after entering Korea, immediately entered Tottenham and began building his body. Local officials raised the possibility of renting early, but there was also a hope that Yang Min-hyuk could have an opportunity as Frank started from blank paper.
However, Yang Min-hyuk did not play in the last Reading, Tottenham's first pre-season game. Rumors of a crisis have accelerated. However, he gradually expanded his position. He started as the left wing of Tottenham's U-21 team in a preseason game against Leyton Orient (third division) at Brisbane Road in London on Tuesday. It was Yang Min-hyuk's first game under the Tottenham emblem since his transfer to Tottenham.
The game was the 'Justin Edinburgh 3 (JE3) Foundation Trophy' competition. The JE3 Foundation was established in honor of the late Justin Edinburgh, a former Leyton defender who also served as the team's head coach. Edinburgh also played for Tottenham from 1990 to 2000. Tottenham's U-21 team participated in the competition, and Yang Min-hyuk participated as a member of the U-21 team.
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| Reuters Yonhap News |
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| Photo capture=Tottenham homepage |
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Tottenham introduced on its website that `Yang Min-hyuk came out on the ground for the first time in our uniform in the match' and that the 19-year-old South Korean national team player played as a left-side striker in the first half.' Yang Min-hyuk failed to score an attack point, and Tottenham's U-21 team lost 1-3.
Yang Min-hyuk, who succeeded in preheating, changed the atmosphere by playing in the Luton match, although it is not an official game. Following his debut in the first team, he even impressed with more-than-expected plays. Frank said in a post-match press conference, `The game against Luton was a game where I felt I had more to work on.' `The players put everything into it, were positive and tried very hard, but not organic in the connection between the players. But it was nice to see some scenes of training" he evaluated.
Local fans said Yang Min-hyuk is one of them. Tottenham's official social media posted, "'With Yang Min-hyuk, I don't think he'll miss Son Heung-min too much.'" Yang Min-hyuk reminds me of Son Heung-min in his heyday' and 'Yang Min-hyuk is our wonderkid!' leave an evaluation of. Yang Min-hyuk is still likely to be loaned, but if the current performance continues, there is a possibility that he will be included in Frank's plan. Yang Min-hyuk's future is likely to be decided after the Asian tour. Tottenham face Newcastle United in Seoul on August 3.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
