Emotional Son Heung-min keeps mum on future after Tottenham finale in S. Korea

SEOUL, Aug. 3 (Yonhap) -- It is now official that Son Heung-min will not be with Tottenham Hotspur beyond this summer after 10 years with the Premier League club. What's not yet confirmed, more than 24 hours after Son announced his decision to leave, is where Son will play next.

Son said a teary farewell to his adoring South Korean fans Sunday night, as Tottenham played Newcastle United to a 1-1 draw in a preseason match at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Son announced during his prematch press conference Saturday that he will leave Tottenham. Son did not say then where he is headed, but he hinted that rumors linking him to Los Angeles FC of Major League Soccer in the United States may turn out to be true.

Son said he wanted to end up in a situation that can allow him to best prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and a move to a club in America may indeed help him in that regard.

When pressed for further details after Sunday's match, Son said: "Nothing has been decided yet. Rather than talking about it here, I'd like to ask you to wait a little longer."

Son added: "I did give you a good piece of information yesterday. I'd appreciate it if you give me a little space today."

It was an emotional night for Son, one that he said he will never forget.

He drew wild cheers all the way from the prematch warmup to the final lap around the stadium after the game. Although he did not score in his 65 minutes of action, he walked off the field in tears to a thunderous ovation from nearly 65,000 fans -- but not before embracing players from both sides.

"At first, I really didn't think I was going to cry," Son said. "But obviously, it is not easy leaving a team I've spent so much time with. And hearing from all these players made me really emotional. I was really, really happy playing this match. I've had an unforgettable day thanks to all the fans, my teammates and my opponents. I feel so happy that I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight."

Son, 33, said he wants to keep rewarding his loyal fans with good performances, wherever he may end up next.

"I've been so blessed to be so loved by these fans. I am here because of them," Son said. "My career is not over yet, and I want to continue to bring them joy. I know I have more things I want to accomplish as a football player."

Son said his teammates told him so many great things that they made him feel his 10 years with Tottenham have been well worth it.

"I could feel that I have given those guys at least a little bit of inspiration during my 10 years, and that made me feel so happy," Son added.

Sunday's match featured two other South Korean players -- Son's 19-year-old teammate Yang Min-hyeok and Newcastle's 18-year-old signing Park Seung-soo. Both saw limited action in the second half.

Son said he hopes those two teenagers will develop into even better players than he has been.

"They played really hard tonight, and they inspired me to work hard when I end up with a new team," Son said. "It was great to be able to learn from younger players."

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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