Tottenham captain Son Heung-min to depart the club this summer

Chirag Sharatkumar

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min to depart the club this summer image

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min has announced he will leave the club this summer, bringing an end to a decade-long spell in north London.

The South Korea international confirmed the news on Friday (August 1) during a press conference in Seoul, describing the decision as “the most difficult one I have made in my career.”

Son is currently with Tottenham on their preseason tour of South Korea and recently featured in their 1-0 win over Arsenal last Thursday (July 31).

He is expected to feature in Sunday’s (August 3) friendly against Newcastle United, which could well mark his final appearance for the club; fittingly, in front of his home fans.

Son joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 and has undoubtedly gone on to become one of the greatest players in the club’s history.

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He captained the side to their first major trophy in 17 years last season, defeating Manchester United in the Europa League final.

Over his 10 years at the club, Son scored 173 goals and registered 101 assists across 454 appearances and became the first Asian player to reach 100 Premier League goals.

Following Harry Kane’s departure in 2023, Son was named club captain.

What did Son say?

Son is understood to have made the decision after discussions with new head coach Thomas Frank, with the forward expressing a desire to leave on a high and pursue a new challenge.

“I came to north London as a kid - a very young age, a young boy came to London who even didn't speak English,” Son said.

“Leaving this club as a grown man is a very, very proud moment.

“My decision has been made, I did my best here and I need a fresh challenge now.

“It’s the most difficult decision of my life. I came to north London as a kid but I leave as a young man.”

Though under contract until 2026, Son has been linked with a move across the pond to the United States, with MLS club Los Angeles FC reportedly leading the race for his signature.

Fabrizio Romano reported on Friday that talks are already underway between Tottenham and LAFC, suggesting a deal could soon be finalised.

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Chirag Sharatkumar

Chirag Sharatkumar is a freelance writer for The Sporting News, with a focus on the Premier League, international football, and global fan culture. He also has extensive experience with the Stats Perform news agency and is a keen long-form sport and culture writer and storyteller. His work can be found on the pages of MUNDIAL Magazine and across various Substack platforms.