Tottenham captain Son Heung-min has announced that he will leave the club this summer after spending ten years in north London.
The 33-year-old forward joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 and has played over 450 matches for the club. Although he lifted the Europa League trophy in May, Son admitted he had a tough season overall, struggling with a number of leg injuries.
Speaking at a press conference in Seoul during Tottenham’s pre-season tour in South Korea, Son said, “Before we start, I want to say that I’ve decided to leave the club this summer. The club is supporting me in this decision, and I’m grateful for that.”
Son, who has scored 173 goals for Spurs, did not confirm where he will go next, but he looked emotional during the announcement. He has been linked with a possible move to Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States.
He said, “This has been the hardest decision of my career. I’ve had so many amazing memories. I feel like I need a new environment to challenge myself again. Ten years is a long time. I came to north London at 23, just a kid really. Now I leave as a proud, grown man.”
Son also shared that winning a European trophy was a major factor in his decision, saying it felt like he had achieved everything he could with the club. “I spent a lot of time thinking about whether I wanted to try something different, and I kept going back and forth in my mind,” he added.
New Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, who joined from Brentford in June, paid tribute to Son. “I would have loved to work with this fantastic player and person,” Frank said. “He’s a true Spurs legend and one of the greatest players in Premier League history.”
Tottenham will face Newcastle United in Seoul on Sunday, where Son is expected to receive a warm reception from the home crowd. So far, Spurs have had a quiet summer transfer window, with their main signing being attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus from West Ham.
Son’s decision marks the end of a memorable chapter in Tottenham’s history, as fans prepare to say farewell to one of the club’s most iconic players.
