Tottenham Hotspur captain, Son Heung-min, has revealed he will leave the club this summer, bringing an end to his remarkable 10-year spell in north London.
The South Korean forward joined Spurs in 2015 from Bayer Leverkusen and has since become one of the club’s most iconic figures, amassing 173 goals in 454 appearances.
Son, 33, led the team to a historic 1-0 victory over Manchester United in May’s Europa League final, Tottenham’s first major trophy in 17 years.
Although his current contract runs until 2026, reports suggest the forward is attracting interest from Major League Soccer, with Los Angeles FC emerging as a potential destination.
Ahead of Tottenham’s pre-season clash with Newcastle United in Seoul, Son addressed the media with an emotional announcement about his future.
“Before we start the press conference, I wanted to say I have decided to leave the Club this summer. Respectfully the club is helping me with this decision.
“It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career. Such amazing memories. It was so hard to make the decision.
“I need a new environment to push myself. I need a little bit of change – 10 years is a long time. I came to north London as a kid, 23 years old, such a young age. I leave this club as a grown man, a very proud man.
“I want to say thank you to all the Spurs fans for giving me so much love. I hope the goodbye is also good timing and this is the right time to make that decision. I hope everyone can accept that and respect that.”
Tottenham are currently in South Korea for their pre-season tour, and Sunday’s friendly against Newcastle could serve as Son’s farewell match, fittingly taking place in his homeland.
The Europa League champions are also scheduled to meet Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13, though Son’s departure may occur before the fixture.
