Son Heung-min and Tottenham Hotspur revealed that the current LAFC forward will make an “emotional” return to north London on Dec. 9 to receive the farewell he was denied this summer.
The former Spurs captain spent a decade in the capital, amassing 454 appearances and 173 goals, to give him the illustrious status of the club’s fifth all-time top scorer. Son left Tottenham for LAFC in August, joining the west coast outfit for an MLS record fee of around $26 million.
The protracted nature of Son’s departure ensured that his departure was somewhat bungled. The final competitive appearance of his Spurs career saw the 33-year-old hoist aloft the Europa League trophy, yet he was still part of the roster which traveled to Asia for Tottenham’s preseason tour, which hinged on Son’s involvement.
The South Korean superstar’s final outing for Spurs in any capacity was in front of a partisan home crowd at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in August, lasting an hour in a friendly against Newcastle United.
“When I announced my difficult decision to leave Spurs in the summer, it was in Korea and I never got a proper chance to say goodbye to fans at the stadium,” he told Tottenham’s official website this week.
“Now I am so happy because I am going to come back to London on Dec. 9, for the Champions League match, and be able to tell the Spurs fans in person just how much their support and love over 10 years has meant to me and my family. It will be emotional, but it’s important for me and the Club that this happens.”
The club revealed that Son will be presented to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium crowd with a microphone in hand ahead of next week’s Champions League clash against Slavia Prague. Son’s return will coincide with the completion of a mural on Tottenham High Road in honor of the prolific winger.
Son’s LAFC Future
Son may be heading to Europe this winter, but he’s made it abundantly clear that it will not be in a professional capacity. There had been whispers of the Spurs icon securing a short-term loan back on the continent during the MLS offseason to preserve his fitness ahead of this summer’s World Cup. That is not on the cards.
“Many people are curious, the rumors themselves are uncomfortable. Fans must also be confused. My belief and mindset have always been that giving my all to the team I am playing for is most important. The rumors are not true,” he said earlier this month.
“I have never once discussed moving to another team during the winter. The mere mention of such talks could be disrespectful to LAFC. I can confirm it is not true.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Son Heung-min Confirms Date of Imminent Tottenham Return.
