Will Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) and 'monster striker' Alexander Isak (26, Newcastle United) face off in Seoul? The two teams are pushing for a preseason match in front of Korean fans this upcoming summer.

The British 'Daily Mail' exclusively reported on the 4th (Korean time) that "Newcastle is discussing the plan to hold a profitable preseason friendly match against Tottenham in the capital city of Seoul, which could sell out."

The media added, "Considering that Son Heung-min, the captain of the South Korean national team, will participate, it is expected that 66,000 people will gather at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, where Korea lost to Germany in the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup."

Originally, Newcastle planned to hold their preseason in Hong Kong. The Daily Mail explained that "Tottenham is discussing a return visit to Korea. Now, a matchup with Newcastle is likely," and added, "Newcastle discussed playing at the new Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong this summer. Newcastle staff have visited multiple times to inspect the facilities."

However, plans changed. Tottenham decided to play a preseason match against Arsenal in Hong Kong instead of Newcastle. This is already receiving significant attention as the first North London derby outside of England.

The media disclosed, "However, it has been confirmed that Liverpool, AC Milan, Tottenham, and Arsenal will instead participate this week. Thus, Newcastle changed their route to Korea and Singapore at the end of July."

Newcastle is set to face not only Tottenham but also Team K League. The Daily Mail reported, "Newcastle is expected to play two matches in Korea. They will likely play against Tottenham and the K League All-Star 11," adding, "We are still waiting for all match schedules to be confirmed."

'iNews' also reported the same news earlier. The media stated, "Newcastle is set to depart for Asia at the end of July to play three matches during their preseason tour. This will be Newcastle's first match in Korea."

Additionally, iNews noted, "Newcastle achieved a successful outcome last July by launching their third uniform in Tokyo during their visit to Japan. They are making another attempt to strengthen their brand in the Asian market this time. This year's tour is expected to generate the highest revenue in Newcastle's history."

Newcastle has never visited Korea since its founding in 1892. They attempted to visit in 2017, but the plans fell through.

Newcastle entered a new golden era after being acquired by a consortium led by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund (PIF) in 2021. With aggressive investments backed by oil money, they finished 4th in the Premier League in the 2022-2023 season and qualified for the UEFA Champions League (UCL) for the first time in 21 years.

This season, they also lifted a trophy. Newcastle defeated Liverpool last month to claim the League Cup, marking the first time in the club's history that they won the tournament. This is their first domestic title in a remarkable 70 years.

Newcastle's star player this season is Isak, a towering striker at 192 cm, who has recorded 24 goals and 5 assists in 34 matches. Known as a complete striker, he has received interest from several big clubs, including Arsenal and Liverpool, and boasts a market value of €100 million (approximately 160 billion won). In addition to Isak, the Italian national team midfielder Sandro Tonali and Son Heung-min's former teammate Kieran Trippier are also on the team.

On the other hand, if Tottenham visits Korea this summer, it will be their third visit. Tottenham held a preseason tour in Korea in 2022, facing Team K League and Sevilla. Unsurprisingly, it was a huge success.

Tottenham also met Korean fans last summer by participating in the 2024 Coupang Play Series. They played preseason matches against Team K League and Bayern Munich. Son Heung-min once again scored multiple goals against Team K League, leading the team to a 4-3 victory. In the match against Bayern, he competed in a 'Korean Derby' against Kim Min-jae, achieving full attendance in both matches.

Now, Tottenham is planning to meet Korean fans for the second consecutive year. No matter how poorly they perform this season, if Son Heung-min comes, it is highly likely that all matches and open training sessions will sell out. The ticket power of Son Heung-min, the top star in Asia, is beyond imagination.

Moreover, this time, fans will be able to see Son Heung-min and Yang Min-hyuk playing together in the same uniform. Yang Min-hyuk faced Son Heung-min as an opponent while playing for Team K League last year, but now he is part of Tottenham.

[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (reproduction and redistribution prohibited)

[OSEN]