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A woman who blackmailed South Korean football superstar Son Heung-min by claiming she was the mother of his child was jailed for four years on Monday, reports said.

The woman, surnamed Yang, extorted 300 million won ($200,000) from Son last year by sending him a foetal ultrasound image and threatening to go public.

She reportedly splurged the cash on luxury and designer goods before she and an accomplice, surnamed Yong, tried to extort a further 70 million from the Los Angeles FC star.

Son contacted the police, leading to their subsequent arrest and indictment.

On Monday, the Seoul Central District Court gave a four-year term to Yang, who is in her 20s, for blackmail, local TV said.

Co-conspirator Yong — with whom she was reportedly in a romantic relationship — was given a two-year term for attempted blackmail, Yonhap news agency said.

The two have been in custody since May.

Judge Im Jeong-bin said on Monday that Yang had taken “extreme measures” in her bid to tarnish Son’s reputation.

READ ALSO: What Next For Salah And Liverpool After Explosive Outburst?

“It was not limited to simple threats or demands for money — she went further by taking action, such as informing the media and advertising agencies, exploiting Son’s status as a public figure,” Im said, according to Yonhap.

Son “suffered considerable psychological distress as a result of the case becoming public”, he added.

The South Korean football captain appeared at a closed trial session and gave testimony as a witness last month, local media reported.

It remains unclear whether Yang — who local media have speculated terminated the alleged pregnancy — was actually carrying the star footballer’s child.

“After learning about her pregnancy, Yang did not verify whose child it was,” Judge Im said.

“Although Yang said she believed the fetus was Son’s, her testimony was inconsistent and therefore difficult to accept,” he added.

The 33-year-old former Tottenham captain Son was in October named the second-highest paid footballer in Major League Soccer in October.

Son arrived in California in August after the most expensive transfer in MLS history, estimated at $26 million.

Brighton forward Georginio Rutter stopped West Ham from climbing out of the Premier League relegation zone with a last-gasp equaliser in a dramatic 1-1 draw on Sunday.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were moments away from escaping the bottom three thanks to Jarrod Bowen’s second-half strike at the Amex Stadium.

But Rutter grabbed Brighton’s leveller in stoppage time to leave West Ham stuck in 18th place.

The third-bottom Hammers are two points behind fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest in the fight for survival.

Conceding so late was a painful blow for West Ham. Still, after holding Manchester United to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Thursday, West Ham’s battling display was further evidence of their improvement since Nuno replaced the sacked Graham Potter in September.

West Ham have lost just one of their last six league matches to revive their survival hopes.

Brighton blew a two-goal lead in a 4-3 defeat against Aston Villa in midweek, surrendering their 10-match unbeaten run at home in the process.

Avoiding another loss in front of their own fans kept seventh-placed Brighton in the hunt for European qualification.

On the rain-lashed south coast, both teams struggled to cope with the treacherous conditions.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo brought Lucas Paqueta back into the team after his suspension for a needless dismissal provoked by two incidents of dissent in quick succession against Liverpool.

The 28-year-old claimed his behaviour was the result of frustration at a spot-fixing investigation launched against him by the Football Association in 2024 that ended this summer with Paqueta being cleared of all charges.

Nuno said Paqueta was still affected by the investigation, but the Brazilian went close to putting West Ham ahead with a stinging strike that Bart Verbruggen pushed away.

Verbruggen kept Brighton level with a brilliant double save after half-time, clawing away Bowen’s deflected effort before quickly scrambling to his feet to stop Crysencio Summerville’s volley.

West Ham finally made the breakthrough in the 73rd minute.

Jan Paul van Hecke’s careless back header was intercepted by Callum Wilson and he slipped a pass towards Bowen, who stretched for a low shot that crept past Verbruggen from an acute angle.

However, Brighton laid siege to the West Ham goal in the closing stages and snatched their equaliser in stoppage time.

West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola made two saves in a penalty area scramble, but Rutter pounced on the loose ball and squeezed his low shot into the net from close range.

Mohamed Salah plunged his future at Liverpool into serious doubt after claiming he had been made the fall guy for the Premier League champions’ disastrous form this season.

In an explosive outburst, Salah spoke to reporters after being left on the bench for Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds, dropping a bombshell accusation that his relationship with Reds manager Arne Slot is broken.

It was the third consecutive game the Egyptian had been axed by Slot, who is struggling for solutions to a run of four wins in 15 games in all competitions for troubled Liverpool.

AFP Sport looks at how the breakdown between the Egypt star and his manager developed and what comes next for both Salah and Liverpool:

Why was Salah dropped?

An undoubted Liverpool legend, only two players have scored more than Salah’s 250 goals for the 20-time English champions.

Salah, who arrived at Anfield from Roma in 2017, was fundamental to two Premier League title triumphs, ending a 30-year wait to become champions in 2020, and winning the Champions League in 2019.

In April, as he played a starring role and led Liverpool to the title in Slot’s debut year last season, Salah was rewarded with a lucrative new two-year contract.

Salah has struggled to match those heights this season, scoring just five times in 19 appearances.

The 33-year-old, who was dropped for Champions League fixtures against Galatasaray and Eintracht Frankfurt, started all of Liverpool’s first 12 league games, but Slot’s patience ran out after a 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Liverpool spent £300 million ($400 million) on forwards Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak in the summer transfer window.

Despite slow starts for Wirtz and Isak, they appear the future for the Reds and Slot has prioritised trying to get them up to speed over the past week.

“I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That’s how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame,” Salah said.

“I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”

What happens next?

Liverpool were already planning for life without Salah in the short-term as he departs for the Africa Cup of Nations after this week’s matches away to Inter Milan in the Champions League and at home to Brighton.

Salah hinted the Brighton game could be his last at Anfield, if selected, and that he had instructed his family to fly in to witness it.

“I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to Africa Cup of Nations,” he added. “I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”

Where could he go?

A move to the Saudi Pro League has long been rumoured as Salah’s next destination.

An icon in the Arab world, his signing would represent another coup for the Gulf state.

The riches of clubs backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund means they are one of the few options that can match or even improve Salah’s current salary as one of the Premier League’s highest-paid players.

Liverpool would also welcome the chance to bank a significant transfer fee after their huge summer outlay.

What does it mean for Slot?

Slot’s credit among the Liverpool support for an amazing first season in charge was already diminishing after a run of just two wins in 10 league games.

His job is not in immediate danger, but the Liverpool hierarchy may be forced to act later in the season if their place in next season’s Champions League is at risk.

Despite a dreadful start, Liverpool, who sit eighth in the table, are only two points outside the top four.

Mohamed Salah took aim at Liverpool manager Arne Slot in an astonishing rant that could spell the end of his legendary career at Anfield after claiming he has been “thrown under the bus” during the Premier League champions’ slump in form.

The Egyptian was left on the bench for the third consecutive game in Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds and was not even introduced as a substitute by Slot.

After next weekend’s home match against Brighton, Salah is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and hinted that could be his final appearance in a Liverpool shirt should he be selected.

“I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season,” Salah told reporters in the mixed zone at Elland Road.

“Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.

“I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am in the bench for three games, so I can’t say they keep the promise. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.

“This club, I always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much, I will always do. I called my mum yesterday — you guys didn’t know if I would start or not, but I knew.

“Yesterday I said to (my parents), ‘Come to the Brighton game.’ I don’t know if I am going to play or not but I am going to enjoy it.

“In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now. I will be at Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa cup. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”

READ ALSO: Liverpool Blow Two-Goal Lead As Leeds Fightback In 3-3 Draw

 Saudi speculation

Salah is Liverpool’s third highest goalscorer of all time with 250 goals in 420 appearances, winning two Premier League titles and the Champions League since joining from Roma in 2017.

However, he has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season.

Slot’s men have won just two of their last 10 Premier League games to slip to eighth in the table.

Salah has scored just five times in 19 appearances this season but had been a regular starter until last weekend’s 2-0 win at West Ham.

The 33-year-old was introduced off the bench during Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Sunderland but to little effect.

Slot defended his decision to leave Salah on the bench at Elland Road as Liverpool led for the majority of the second half before conceding a stoppage time equaliser.

“It was more about controlling the game [at 3-2] and we didn’t need a goal,” said Slot.

“Normally when you need a goal, like last week against Sunderland, I brought Mo on.”

Salah has long since attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League and the Gulf could offer his most likely escape route from Anfield during the January transfer window.

He signed a lucrative new two-year contract in April after his starring role in guiding Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.

Lionel Messi inspired Inter Miami to their first ever MLS Cup title on Saturday, playing a leading role in a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in Florida.

READ ALSO: Messi Leads Miami Into MLS Playoff Matchup With Cincinnati

Argentina superstar Messi provided assists for two goals and helped create another to spark wild celebrations before a rapturous home crowd at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

Liverpool’s latest sorry collapse to draw 3-3 at struggling Leeds on Saturday shone the spotlight on manager Arne Slot’s inability to summon a response from a side that was crowned Premier League champions just months ago.

Failure to hold onto a 2-0 and 3-2 lead at Elland Road means the Reds have won just two of their last 10 league games to tumble down to eighth in the table and realistically end their hopes of defending the title well before Christmas.

A £450 million ($600 million) summer spend in the transfer window was designed to herald in a new era of dominance at Anfield.

Instead, Slot’s squad has been unbalanced by a summer of major change and the impact of the tragic death of forward Diogo Jota in a car accident in July.

Over £200 million was splashed out on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz for the return of just one Premier League goal between them so far, while full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have failed to replicate the outstanding performances of Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold in recent years.

It was the one major signing Liverpool failed to get over the line that could turn out to be the most impactful in their season.

England centre-back Marc Guehi appeared on his way to Anfield from Crystal Palace on deadline day until the deal collapsed.

As Guehi has enjoyed a stellar season for club and country, Ibrahima Konate’s woeful form has been fundamental to Liverpool’s decline.

Hugo Ekitike – the one new signing to so far deliver on his potential – had put Slot’s side in a commanding position with a quickfire double at the start of the second half.

Yet, Konate gifted Leeds a route back into the game with a needless lunge on Willy Gnonto as the ball was running out to concede a penalty.

Within seconds, Liverpool’s comfortable cushion was wiped out as, roared on by a vociferous home crowd, Leeds build on their momentum to equalise through Anton Stach.

“Konate’s decision for the penalty was just unbelievable,” said former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp.

READ ALSO: Liverpool Blow Two-Goal Lead As Leeds Fightback In 3-3 Draw

Game-changing errors 

“Liverpool were cruising, everything was calm, and he decides to run out and commit one of the more reckless decisions to get Leeds back in the game.”

Slot’s options have not been aided by a serious knee injury suffered by Italian centre-back Giovanni Leoni on his debut in September.

But his decision to keep faith with Konate despite repeated game-changing errors is becoming a stick to beat the Dutchman with.

At the other end of the field, Slot has not shied away from a major call.

The difficulties of new arrivals adjusting to the demands at Anfield has been exacerbated by a loss of form for Liverpool’s two titans of the past decade in Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.

Both signed highly-lucrative two-year contracts at the end of last season after their roles in delivering a 20th English top-flight title.

But for the third consecutive game Salah was left on the bench and was not even introduced as a substitute.

After next weekend’s clash at home to Brighton, the Egyptian will depart for up to a month for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Slot defended his decision not to call on Salah due to the fact Liverpool had a lead to protect rather than chasing a goal in the closing stages.

The former Feyenoord boss will have to find a solution to his side’s slump without Salah in the coming weeks.

But doubts now linger over both the future of the Liverpool boss and the club’s third highest goalscorer of all time heading into 2026.