Son Heung-min leaves pitch in tears after final Tottenham appearance against Newcastle
Son Heung-min was in tears after playing for Tottenham for what looks to be the final time as the South Korean prepares to leave the north London outfit.
The forward confirmed he would leave Spurs this summer but he captained the side for the final time as they played Newcastle in a pre-season friendly in his homeland.
Son was given a guard of honour by both sets of players when he was subbed off, but whilst he walked off smiling the Tottenham icon was seen in tears on the bench with his head in his hands. He later enjoyed the limelight as he was hoisted into the air by his team-mates.
He is now in advanced talks to join MLS side LAFC, which would to an end almost a decade at Tottenham. The former Premier League Golden Boot winner has confessed he's found it a hugely challenging decision to make but the club continue to make changes as they embark on a new era.
Son is now 33 and last season was not as influential as he has been. New manager Thomas Frank has continued to pursue and capture new players, who are likely to hamper the South Korean's playing time and involvement.
Earlier this week the Tottenham striker said: 'I came to north London as a kid - a very young age, a young boy came to London who even didn't speak English. Leaving this club as a grown man is a very, very proud moment.'
The new Tottenham boss also gave a pretty clear hint that his outing in his native South Korea was likely to be Son's final appearance as he declared him 'one of the greatest players to play in the Premier League'. Frank said: 'If that is the last game for Sonny, what a place to do it here in front of his home fans. A beautiful ending.'
Son has scored 173 goals in 454 games for Spurs and last season captained them to their first trophy in 17 years when they beat Manchester United in the Europa League final. That game in Bilbao may well turn out to be his final competitive appearance for the club.
It was the forward who lifted the trophy and jokingly claimed he was now a club legend after being front and centre for the historic moment.
"Let's say I'm a legend. Why not?" he told TNT Sports after the final. "Seventeen years - nobody has done it, so let's say with amazing players, [I am] probably a legend of the club. This is what I've always dreamed for. Today is the day it happened. I am the happiest man in the world."
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