Tottenham Hotspur star announces unexpected departure

Spurs head coach Thomas Frank has confirmed that Son will start and captain the side in Sunday’s game.

"I have decided to leave the club this summer. Respectfully the club is helping me with this decision," said Son. "It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career. 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.

"I want to say thank you to all the Spurs fans for giving me so much love. I hope the goodbye is also good timing and this is the right time to make that decision. I hope everyone can accept that and respect that."

Son joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2013 and has since made 454 appearances, scoring 173 goals, sitting fourth on the club’s all-time scoring list. 

His final competitive outing is likely to remain the Europa League final victory over Manchester United in Bilbao, offering a storybook ending to a glittering career in north London.

The South Korean revealed he made the decision some time ago, informing only a few teammates before speaking with Frank ahead of preseason. Son is reportedly exploring a move to Major League Soccer (MLS), with Los Angeles FC emerging as a leading contender. Interest from Saudi Arabian clubs also persists.

He now becomes the latest high-profile departure at Spurs following Harry Kane’s 2023 transfer to Bayern Munich, as the club enters a new era under Frank, who joined from Brentford earlier this summer.