Gangwon FC have claimed that Tottenham Hotspur saw off competition from a direct Premier League rival to sign Yang Min-hyeok.

Spurs agreed a deal on Sunday that will see the 18-year-old arrive in north London in January 2025, remaining with South Korean side Gangwon until then.

“We are delighted to announce that we have reached an agreement for Yang Min-hyeok to join the Club from K League 1 side Gangwon FC, subject to work permit and international clearance,” Spurs said in a short statement posted on their website on Sunday.

“Yang, who turned 18 in April, has agreed a deal that will run until 2030 and will join us in January, 2025.”

The teenager is highly rated in South Korea, notching two goals and two assists in 23 caps for the nation’s U16 and U17 teams combined, while he’s already registered eight goals and four assists in 25 K League appearances for Gangwon.

Alongside current club captain Son Heung-min and Lee Young-pyo, Min-hyeok is the third South Korean player to sign for Tottenham.

Spurs beat rivals to Min-hyeok signing

We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement to sign Yang Min-Hyeok from Gangwon FC, subject to work permit and international clearance.

He will join us in January 2025.

Welcome to Tottenham, Yang ?

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 28, 2024

Tottenham’s capture of Min-hyeok — who won the K League Young Player of the Month awards for April, May and June of this year — has been made even more impressive by Gangwon’s claim that they saw off competition from another of the Premier League’s big hitters.

“It is true that another big 6 PL team that recently won the UCL had also enquired about Yang,” a club representative said (via talkSPORT).

“That team had nice plans about Yang’s development and had approached us earlier than Spurs. But what I didn’t realise at the time was that Yang had his heart set on Tottenham.

“I even asked him if he wanted to go to that other club, but Yang straightly refused, saying he wanted to only join Spurs.

“To make it clear, it was Yang, rather than Gangwon, who made the choice to pick Tottenham as his next club. I respected the player’s wish.”