Son Heung-min, striker of the Korea Republic National Team and Tottenham Hotspur icon, has officially announced his intention to leave the club this summer, delivering the emotional revelation at a press conference in Seoul on Saturday morning, alongside head coach Thomas Frank.
Speaking ahead of Spurs’ pre-season clash against Newcastle United at Seoul World Cup Stadium, Son addressed the media with heartfelt words:
“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’ve made in my career. I’ve made so many amazing memories here—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, just 23 years old. 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 this is the right time to say goodbye, and I hope everyone can understand and respect my decision.”
Son’s emotional announcement was met with admiration and respect, as fans around the world began reflecting on a glittering decade of dedication to the Lilywhites.
New Spurs boss Thomas Frank, who joined the Club earlier this summer, shared his thoughts on the departure:
“Personally, I would have loved to work with this fantastic player and person. He is a true Spurs legend in every aspect—one of the greatest players to ever play in the Premier League.
It’s never easy to find the perfect timing for a goodbye. But coming in from the outside, I can see it clearly—Sonny is ending on a high.”
Heung-Min Son joined Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in August 2015 and has since cemented his legacy as one of the Club’s all-time greats. He ranks fifth on the all-time scorers list with 173 goals and is one of only seven players in Club history to make over 450 appearances (454).
From winning the FIFA Puskás Award for his solo goal against Burnley in 2019, to sharing the Premier League Golden Boot in 2021/22 with 23 goals, and leading the team as captain to UEFA Europa League glory in May, Son’s contributions are woven into Spurs’ modern history.
As the Club prepares to face Newcastle United in Sunday’s pre-season match in Seoul, fans will surely see the occasion as not just a friendly fixture, but a chance to celebrate one of their greatest ever players. The match kicks off at 8:00pm (Malaysian time) at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Credit Photo : Alex Grimm/Getty Images
