Son Heung-min has officially revealed that he will be leaving Tottenham Hotspur during the ongoing summer transfer window, ending his remarkable 10-year stint at the club. Son Heung made the announcement in Seoul during Spurs’ pre-season tour of Asia.
“Before we start the press conference I wanted to say I have decided to leave the club this summer,” said Son. “Respectfully, the club is helping me with this decision.”
‘Most Difficult Decision’
Calling it ‘the most difficult decision’ of his career, Son added, “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.”
Son’s Professional Life
Since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, Son made 454 appearances for the London club and netted 173 goals across all competitions. Despite only scoring seven Premier League goals last season, a tough campaign in which Spurs finished 17th, he played a crucial role in securing their first major trophy in years: the Europa League title, won against Manchester United in Bilbao this May.
“Winning a title in Europe felt like I had achieved everything I possibly could,” Son reflected. “I spent a lot of time reflecting on whether I wanted to experience football in a different environment, and I had those conversations with myself over and over again.”
What Next for Hon
His future destination remains undecided, but Los Angeles FC from Major League Soccer are believed to be keen on the forward. Although an official offer is yet to be made, the club previously signed another captain for Spurs, Hugo Lloris, in December 2023. Currently, there’s no known interest from Saudi Arabian clubs.
Son’s Final Match
During Tottenham’s friendly win over Arsenal in Hong Kong on Thursday, Son featured as a substitute. He has played in three of Spurs’ four pre-season games so far and is expected to lead the side against Newcastle in Seoul on Sunday, potentially his final match in Spurs colours.
Manager Thomas Frank acknowledged the impact of Son’s impending departure. “For me, personally, I would have loved to have worked with this fantastic person and player,” he said. “He is a true Spurs legend in every aspect, one of the greatest players to play in the Premier League. It is never easy to find the perfect timing and me coming in from the side, it makes it a bit easier to end on a high.”
Son departs with just one team trophy but a legacy marked by numerous individual accolades. He won the Premier League Golden Boot alongside Mohamed Salah in the 2021-22 season, and received FIFA’s Puskás Award in 2020 for his dazzling solo goal against Burnley. He was also honoured with Tottenham’s Player of the Year three times between 2019 and 2022 and currently is the club’s fifth-highest scorer, trailing only Harry Kane, Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Smith, and Martin Chivers.
