Tottenham duo Son Heung-min and Steven Bergwijn have been allowed to travel home despite the coronavirus lockdown in Britain.
Son was granted permission to fly to South Korea on Sunday for personal reasons, while Bergwijn has returned to the Netherlands ahead of the impending birth of his child.
All football across Europe has been suspended due to the worldwide pandemic, with this summer’s European Championship and Copa America pushed back a year in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.
The current Champions League and Europa League campaigns have also been put on hold, with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin admitting that the entire football season could be declared void if leagues are unable to resume by the end of June.
Spurs forward Son has been recovering from a fractured arm sustained during the club’s Premier League victory over Aston Villa in February.
The 27-year-old travelled to South Korea soon after for surgery, and was forced to spend two weeks in self-isolation upon his return to Britain later that month. And Son will now spend a further two weeks in quarantine at home in line with South Korean government guidelines.
Son was not expected to return from injury this season, but all English football has since been suspended until at least April 30. He will, however, take part in Tottenham’s remote training programme, which gets underway via video call on Monday.
His fellow forward Steven Bergwijn has also been given permission to travel home. The 22-year-old will return to the Netherlands due to the impending birth of his child.
"The club has given permission for both Heung-Min Son and Steven Bergwijn to return to their home countries," a statement on Tottenham's website read.
"Both players will continue their individual rehabilitation and training programmes during their time away."
Along with former Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung, Spurs attacker Son has been helping those affected by Covid-19 in their homeland, with each donating £65,000 to victims of the illness.
The pair have each made sizeable donations, with Park donating to Childfund Korea and Son to Good Neighbours International, the humanitarian group currently on the frontlines of the crisis in Asia.
The Premier League currently pencilled in for an April 30 return - which is currently seeming unlikely - and Spurs talisman Harry Kane has called for the season to be anulled if it isn't resumed by the end of June .