Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min has announced he will leave the club this summer, bringing to an end a remarkable 10-year spell in north London.
The 33-year-old forward joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 and has since scored 173 goals in 454 appearances across all competitions. His time at the club was crowned by captaining the team to their first trophy in 17 years—a Europa League triumph over Manchester United in May 2025, News.Az reports, citing BBC.
Son, who is under contract until 2026, is currently in advanced talks with Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC.
Speaking at a press conference alongside new Spurs head coach Thomas Frank, Son said the decision to leave was "the most difficult" of his career.
"I came to north London as a kid—a very young boy who didn’t even speak English," he said. "Leaving this club as a grown man is a very, very proud moment."
Tottenham are currently in Seoul for pre-season preparations, and Son is expected to start and captain the side against Newcastle United on Sunday. If selected, it would mark a poetic farewell in his home country.
Coach Thomas Frank, who succeeded Ange Postecoglou in June, praised Son as “a true Spurs legend” and “one of the greatest players to play in the Premier League.”
“If that’s his last game for Spurs, what a place to do it—in front of his home fans. It could be a beautiful ending,” Frank said.
Although Spurs will face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13, it remains unclear whether Son will still be with the squad by then.
Since making his debut in September 2015, Son has left an indelible mark on English football. He has made 333 Premier League appearances, scored 127 goals—placing him joint 16th on the league’s all-time top scorers list—and provided 101 assists across all competitions.
Son’s on-field chemistry with former teammate Harry Kane was legendary. Together, they set the Premier League record for most goal combinations between two players, with 47. Their 21 combined goals during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons remains a standout feat.
In 2021-22, Son became the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot, sharing the honor with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. A year later, he became the first Asian player to score 100 goals in the league.
He also played in Tottenham’s 2019 Champions League final loss to Liverpool and succeeded Hugo Lloris as club captain in August 2023.
“Winning a European title with Spurs felt like I had achieved everything I possibly could,” Son said. “But I need a new environment to push myself. Ten years is a long time.”
Son’s 71 Premier League assists remain a club record, and his total of 454 appearances ranks sixth in Spurs’ history—behind only Cyril Knowles, Pat Jennings, Gary Mabbutt, Steve Perryman, and Glenn Hoddle.
His departure marks the end of an era, not just for Tottenham, but for the Premier League as well.
