Fresh test for Son

Son Heung-min has always been one to push boundaries. The talented 23-year-old will become the 13th South Korean player to join the English Premier League with a move to Tottenham.

But the manner in which the young attacking midfielder has adjusted to life in Europe has been an integral part of his success. Now there are seven other Korean players plying their trade in Germany's top division. After the impact of Japan's Shinji Kagawa at Borussia Dortmund in 2012, Son has opened a solid bond between the two continents.

Son arrived in Germany at the age of 16 and was one of three teenagers who became part of the Hamburg B-Youth side, part of an innovative partnership with the South Korean Football Association. His compatriots, Kim Min-hyeok and Kim Jong-pil, had little success in their short stay in Germany, returning to South Korea within a few months. "I want to stay here forever," joked a timid Son in his first interview with a German newspaper.

Two years later, after being awarded his first professional contract with the club, Son took just 26 minutes to become Hamburg's youngest-ever goalscorer in the Bundesliga against Cologne; sprightly breaking the offside trap, clearing over the on-rushing goalkeeper and with ice-cool conviction, sliding into an empty net.

His mastery of the ball at high speeds made him an automatic favorite with coaches in the Bundesliga, which favors fast transitions and counterattacks. Despite lacking the same physical prowess of his opponents, the teenager showed early potential playing off the main center-forward, anticipating loose balls and shooting from distance.

A Bundesliga favorite

Eight goals in his first two seasons was a respectable return considering his tender years and the ever-declining quality of the players around him. As Hamburg began to edge closer towards the bottomthree, Son had a propensity to turn in big-game performances - his double in the 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund was a particular high-point.

After hitting 12 goals in 2012-13, he joined Leverkusen for 10 million euros as a replacement for Andre Schürrle who left for Chelsea in the same summer. Son was the ideal fit for the departing German, but also an upgrade as the South Korean threatened to shine in the Champions League.

He went on to score 29 goals in 87 games for the club, but his contribution to the overall play was important. Under Roger Schmidt, he added to an extra gear to his pace and showed his ability to play in such a well-orchestrated pressing system.

The burgeoning talents of Julian Brandt, however, have forced the issue of cashing in on the player for several months. Son missed Leverkusen's match on Saturday at Hannover with what the club described as an illness, but the player went on to complete his medical in London.

Sporting director Rudi Voller all-but confirmed the transfer before the Champions League victory over Lazio - but emphasized that negotiations with Spurs were done on their own terms.

The 23-year-old is ripe for a switch to English football. Of the other South Koreans to play in the Premier League, many have struggled with the physical demands and intensity of the English game. Sunderland's Ki Sung-yeung adapted to British football with a stint in Scotland before eventually shining at Swansea City.

Son, however, as he looks to emulate the legacy of his hero, Park Ji-sung, now global ambassador at Manchester United, will have benefited massively from exposure to Bundesliga and Champions League football over the last few seasons.

That high-level football in Germany and in the Champions League was enough to enhance his 'brand' in Europe and Korea. Son has his own cult following back home, with masses of supporters following his every move on social media like any of the top K-Pop bands in the country.

Now that asset belongs to Tottenham in the globalized football world. But on the pitch, the White Hart Lane faithful will have much more to focus on: one of Germany's most talented players of the past few seasons.