Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min has confirmed he will leave the club this summer, bringing an end to a remarkable 10-year spell in north London.
The 33-year-old forward made the emotional announcement during a press conference in Seoul on Saturday, ahead of Spurs’ pre-season clash with Newcastle United.
“Before we start the press conference, I wanted to say I have decided to leave the club this summer,” Son told reporters. “Respectfully, the club is helping me with this decision.”
Son, who arrived at Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, has made over 450 appearances and scored 173 goals for the Premier League side. Over the past decade, he established himself as one of the club’s greatest-ever players and one of the most prolific forwards in English football.
Although he captained the side to Europa League glory in May — Tottenham’s first European silverware in 41 years — Son admitted the 2024/25 season had been personally challenging due to persistent leg injuries. He described the decision to leave as the most difficult of his career.
“I need a new environment to push myself,” he said. “Ten years is a long time. I came to north London as a 23-year-old kid and I leave as a grown man, a proud man.”
Speaking in Korean, the South Korean international explained that winning a European trophy played a key role in his decision to move on. “It felt like I had achieved everything I possibly could with Spurs,” he said. “I spent a lot of time reflecting on whether I wanted to experience football in a different environment.”
While Son did not confirm his next destination, reports have linked him with a potential move to Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States.
New Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, who succeeded Ange Postecoglou in June, praised Son’s contribution to the club and the sport. “He is a true Spurs legend in every aspect — a fantastic person and an incredible player,” said the Danish coach. “I would have loved to work with him.”
Son is expected to receive a hero’s farewell on Sunday when Spurs face Newcastle in Seoul, with fans in his home country set to give their national icon a rapturous send-off.
Tottenham have had a relatively quiet summer in the transfer market, with attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus arriving from West Ham as the club’s only major signing. A proposed £60 million move for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White fell through earlier this week.
Son’s departure marks the end of an era at Tottenham — and the beginning of a new chapter for one of Asia’s most celebrated footballers.
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