South Korea's loss is Tottenham's gain as Son heads back to London

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - December 29, 2018 Tottenham's Son Heung-min in action Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - South Korea crashing out of the Asian Cup in the quarter-finals on Friday was celebrated not only in Qatar but also in North London as Tottenham Hotspur fans anticipated an earlier-than-expected return for forward Son Heung-min.

That joy among Spurs fans pondering more than a month without the injured Harry Kane and Dele Alli might have been tempered, however, after the South Korea captain complained of extreme fatigue during his 12-day stay at tournament.