Coronavirus: Tottenham star Son urges fans to stay away as he prepares for military service

Tottenham forward Heung-min Son has urged supporters not to ignore coronavirus social-distancing measures in an attempt to greet him as he prepares to complete mandatory military service in South Korea.

The 27-year-old will take part in a four-week training camp in April that will not be accessible to the public, a restriction that has been put in place in an attempt to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

With the Premier League having been stopped amid the coronavirus pandemic, it has been agreed that now is an appropriate time for Son to complete the military service that he had previously been excused from.

And the Spurs star was keen to press home that supporters should stay away from the facility where Son will be present, insisting that social-distancing guidelines must be respected.

A statement on the former Bayer Leverkusen winger's Facebook page read: "As large gatherings have been discouraged due to the Covid-19 virus and as we are working to comply with government policy, we will not be opening this event up to the public.

"This decision is being made to ensure the safety of the fans and reporters and to prevent any dangerous situations from arising.

"Thank you for your understanding. Heung-min Son looks forward to completing his military duty and doing his best at the training facility."

Son was previously exempt from carrying out his military service - that is usually mandatory for South Korean men under the age of 28 - after he helped his nation win gold at the 2018 Asian Games.

Prior to the Premier League being halted due to coronavirus, Son had been expected to miss the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign after suffering a fractured arm that required surgery.

While it remains unclear if and when football in England's top flight will return to finish off the season, it could well be that the South Korea international will now be in a position to play a part as Spurs aim to secure a top-four finish.

Son had scored 16 goals in all competitions for Tottenham in 2019-20 before suffering his injury set-back, while he also contributed eight assists for Jose Mourinho's side.

The Spurs forward has also contributed to the effort to battle Covid-19, with Son, along with former Manchester United star Park Ji-sung, having each donated £65,000 to victims of the virus in South Korea.