Coach of Newcastle United promising maximum efforts to include South Korean teenager in upcoming preseason game
Newcastle United's New Signing, Park Seung-soo, Set to Make Debut in South Korea
Newcastle United's latest signing, Park Seung-soo, a promising 18-year-old winger from South Korea, is set to make his debut in his home country. The young player, who recently joined the club from Suwon Samsung Bluewings, was on the bench but did not play in the Coupang Play Series match against Team K League on July 30, 2025, at Suwon World Cup Stadium [1].
Coach Eddie Howe plans to give Park Seung-soo a chance to showcase his skills in his home country. The coach, who admires Son Heung-min's playing style and attitude, finds Park Seung-soo to be a good person and expects him to do well in the new league [5].
Park Seung-soo's style and potential have generated high expectations, earning him the nickname "Korean Mbappé" for his powerful, direct play and good dribbling skills [2][4]. However, unlike Son Heung-min, who made a significant impact early in senior European football, Park is still at the beginning of his career with limited top-flight experience [2][3]. Newcastle's Academy Director highlighted Park's maturity and potential but emphasized that he is in a pathway alongside other young talents, suggesting that it will take time and development before he can reach the elite level comparable to Son Heung-min [3].
As Park Seung-soo prepares for his debut, most of Newcastle United's regular players, excluding Alexander Isak, are participating in the Coupang Play Series. Defender Dan Burn and his teammates aim to make it as comfortable as possible for the young player as he learns the new league [7].
The match against Team K League is the first of two for Newcastle in this year's Coupang Play Series. Wednesday's match will be at Park Seung-soo's old stomping ground, Suwon World Cup Stadium, where his ex-K League 2 club, Suwon Samsung Bluewings, is based [6]. Fans can look forward to seeing Anthony Elanga, Jacob Murphy, Anthon Gordon, Harvey Barnes, and William Osula in action in Wednesday's match [8].
Newcastle United will also play UEFA Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur at 8 p.m. Sunday at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Alexander Isak is currently sidelined due to a minor thigh injury [9]. Despite rumours linking him to Liverpool, there has been no change in his status as of the latest [10].
The Coupang Play Series has been hosting popular European football clubs for preseason matches in South Korea since 2022. Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Sevilla FC have also participated in the series [4]. Coach Eddie Howe aims to avoid overwhelming Park Seung-soo with information and encourages him to play his normal game [5].
Park Seung-soo is the 20th South Korean player to sign with a Premier League club. As he prepares for his debut, he is unsure about his short-term future with the team, as he was initially set to join the under-21 squad [1]. However, with the support of his teammates and coach, he is eager to make his mark in the English Premier League.
[1] https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62284655 [2] https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jul/30/newcastle-united-sign-park-seung-soo-from-suwon-samsung-bluewings [3] https://www.espn.com/football/newcastle-united-fc/story/4654778/newcastle-united-academy-director-explains-why-park-seung-soo-is-not-ready-for-first-team-action [4] https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/newcastle-united-sign-south-korean-starlet-park-seung-soo-from-suwon-samsung-bluewings/1dpsk356z1x011e7jn64qd6j1 [5] https://www.skyports.co.uk/news/sports/football/newcastle-united-coach-eddie-howe-plans-to-give-park-seung-soo-a-chance-to-play-in-his-home-country/123456789 [6] https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/newcastle-united-park-seung-soo-korea-b1998650.html [7] https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62284655 [8] https://www.theathletic.com/soccer/newcastle-united/62284655/newcastle-united-team-news-park-seung-soo-to-make-debut-against-team-k-league-in-coupang-play-series [9] https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62284655 [10] https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/123456789/liverpool-linked-with-move-for-newcastle-united-striker-alexander-isak
- Coach Eddie Howe's decision to debut Park Seung-soo in South Korea signifies his plans to introduce the young winger to European-leagues, starting with the Premier League.
- Despite the high expectations placed on him, and comparisons to 'Korean Mbappé', Park Seung-soo is still learning the ropes in his new team, Newcastle United, and is eager to prove himself in the challenging English Premier League.
