Heung-min Son exclusive interview: South Korean striker on joining Tottenham's 100-goal club and his record-breaking partnership with "fantastic guy" Harry Kane

We may only be in January, but 2021 has already been a year of record-breaking highs for Heung-min Son.

When Harry Kane crossed for Son to tap home and put Tottenham 2-0 up against Leeds United earlier this month, the duo matched a Premier League record that had stood for more than 25 years.

It was the 13th time the Spurs pair had combined for a goal this season, equalling the total achieved by Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton for Blackburn Rovers in their title-winning season of 1994/95.

Of those 13 goals, nine were like the one against Leeds, scored by Son from Kane assists, with the South Korean providing for his English team-mate four times.

Son's goal was also made all the more special for the fact it was his 100th in all competitions for the club.

The 28-year-old became the 18th player to reach the century milestone as Tottenham began 2021 with a bang.

His assist for Serge Aurier in Tottenham's 3-1 victory at Bramall Lane during matchweek 20 took him to 100 Premier League goal involvements for the club, with 65 goals and 35 assists.

"I'm very, very proud of this moment," Son told BT Sport ahead of a mouth-watering midweek clash against defending champions Liverpool.

"When I joined Tottenham I couldn't even think about scoring 100 goals. This is a big, big achievement for me," he said.

"I'm really grateful for everyone who's helping me. My club, the supporters, the teammates, my family...I’m really grateful."

Signed from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, South Korea's most famous export has developed into one of the world’s best forwards with a CV to match.

Since arriving in north London, the 28-year-old has lifted the Premier League’s Player of the Month three times and won the Goal of the Month competition on two occasions.

The second of those two prize-winning efforts, a stunning solo goal against Burnley in 2019, earned 'Sonny' the prestigious FIFA Puskas Award and Match of the Day’s Goal of the Season for 2019/20.

Despite all the individual awards, accolades and records, it's the first of his 100 Tottenham goals which holds a special place in Son's heart.

"I think it was at White Hart Lane, against Crystal Palace. We won that game," said Son, recalling the memory.

"I will never ever forget that - until I finish my career, until I die. It was so incredible.

"As a kid I dreamed of playing in the Premier League. From watching on TV to then playing at Spurs. I still remember how happy that goal made me and my family. It’s a feeling I will never forget."

With a League Cup final and FA Cup quarter-final against Everton to look forward to, Son is hopeful of creating more memories this season.

While Spurs have been in stellar form in domestic cup competitions, their title challenge has waned in recent months, with back-to-back defeats to Leicester City and Liverpool leaving them sixth in the table and eight points adrift of leaders Manchester City.  

Having joined Kane in Tottenham's prestigious 100-goal club, Son will be hoping the deadly duo can rediscover the form that fired Spurs to the top of the table before Christmas.

Going into Thursday's return fixture against Liverpool, Son and Kane are three shy of the all-time Premier League record for goal combinations (36), set by Chelsea duo Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

Jose Mourinho worked with Drogba and Lampard during his first spell at Stamford Bridge and the Portuguese holds Kane and Son's partnership in the same regard.

“You know they are world class,” Mourinho said. 

“It’s as simple as that. But when we played against Manchester City, after the game I was speaking to Ruben Dias and I was telling him, ‘You are not going to play one single match in the Premier League where the strikers are not good.' This is the Premier League.

“But I have to admit that Harry and Sonny are world-class players and on top of what they do, they have a very good sense of the team.

“They have a very good sense of the balance that they need and they also do incredible tactical work for the team when the team doesn’t have the ball. So, top players, amazing.”

It's that selflessness that has helped make Kane and Son's partnership so effective.

"I’m kind of the guy who makes the chances and wants to pass," said Son.

"We have a lot of conversations. Harry knows what I’m going to do if he drops deep. And then I always know what he’s going to do - I try to find him too because he can create a lot of problems for defenders.

"It’s so enjoyable to watch him, even for me when I’m playing with him! He’s such a fantastic player and such a fantastic guy, so humble and works so hard. We both want to work hard to get better."

Thursday sees champions Liverpool visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and provides Mourinho and his men with the perfect opportunity to re-establish themselves in the race to dethrone Klopp's beleaguered Reds.

With many twists and turns to come in what is set to be one of the most unpredictable Premier League seasons in years, could Son and Kane's blossoming partnership be the key to unlocking the title race?