Son Heung-min makes Harry Kane absence claim as he challenges Tottenham team-mates to 'step up' while he's on Asia Cup duty for South Korea

Son has shone for Spurs this season, following Kane's departure to Bayern Munich, scoring 12 goals and bagging five assists in the Premier League. However, Ange Postecoglu's side will have to cope without their talisman as he has been called into the South Korea squad for the Asian Cup. The skipper says he's had to step up his game previously when Kane was absent and wants his team-mates to do the same while he is away on international duty.

Son told reporters: “I hope people can step up when I am away. They are my family and my teammates. I hope they can score as many goals as possible. I feel like when Harry was here and he was missing some games with injuries, I felt like I needed to step up in previous years.

"I hope our players feel this kind of feeling that they need to step up for this kind of situation. In this situation you grow as a player and a human being. Richy (Richarlison) is doing a fantastic job, I hope he is hungry for more goals, also Deki (Dejan Kulusevski) and Brennan (Johnson). I hope everybody who is playing attacking positions can score as many goals as possible and bring us to a better position. I wish it more than anything else."

Son could potentially miss up to five Tottenham games due to the Asian Cup. South Korea take on Bahrain, Jordan and Malaysia in the group stages and they will be expected to progress to the knockout stages. The tournament runs until the final on February 10. Son will definitely miss Tottenham's FA Cup third-round tie against Burnley on Friday as well as a Premier League clash against Manchester United. The forward could also sit out league games against Brentford, Everton and Brighton if South Korea go all the way.

With 12 goals and five assists to his name in 2023-24, Son has already exceeded his Premier League tally from last season (10 goals and six assists in 36 appearances).

Tottenham will look to Richarlison, Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski to provide the attacking inspiration, with Son potentially missing for the next six weeks. The Spurs captain is now with the South Korea squad who are due to play a friendly with Iraq on Saturday ahead of the start of their Asian Cup campaign.