Three years ago his club famously backed him when he wanted to leave after just one season.
Now Son Heung-min is primed to make the latest instalment of his repayment plan by helping Spurs into the Champions League semi-finals.
The South Korean has been sensational this season with 18 goals in all competitions. His strike against Manchester City , in last week’s first leg of the quarter-final, was possibly his most important.
It handed hope yet again to the Tottenham family that all is not lost without the injured Harry Kane. And means a draw as well as a win will see Mauricio Pochettino’s men through.
And it proved beyond any doubt that Son, who led his country to victory over Germany at last year’s World Cup, is far more than just a supporting act to England captain Kane.
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Recalling his request to be allowed to return to Bayer Leverkusen, the club from which he signed for Spurs in 2015, Son said: “It was tough. It’s impossible to only have good times. Sometimes you have tough times to get better.
“Around me, the club, the coaching staff, the players, when I have a tough time they help me lots to be here right now. I’m really grateful for this situation and I’m not finished. I try to improve every day.”
In October 2016, the 26-year-old led the line as Tottenham, minus the injured Kane back then too, pulled off a stunning victory over Guardiola’s City.
Between mid-January and late February this year, when Kane was back on the sidelines, Spurs managed to win five out of their seven games with Son scoring in four of them.
All eyes are now back on him and will be until the end of the season. Is he feeling the pressure?
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“I just enjoy the football,” he said. “This is what I can only do, and [what is] best to do.
“Everyone, not just me, should enjoy Wednesday’s game and scoring and winning the games. We should not put this pressure on ourselves about these situations.”
Of course there are no easy games in the Premier League – except Huddersfield home and away. Lucas Moura hit a hat-trick after twinkle-toed Victor Wanyama had opened the scoring to prove Spurs are most certainly not feeling the pressure.
Son, though, is under no illusions about the task of taking on a side that boast 22 out of 24 wins.
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“We are 1-0 up but it’s only halfway,” he cautioned. “We have to go there and do what we did last Tuesday.
“We need to fight all together as a team, and enjoy the game. There’s nothing better than the Champions League quarter-finals at the moment. So we should just enjoy the moment and the game, but we should fight for the game.
“Of course Harry’s a big miss for us. But we have a big squad. Lucas showed that with three goals.
“Everyone is ready for this race and every single game. Of course we are happy with this result but we have many games left until the end of the season. I hope we can keep up this level of performance.”
