Son Heung-min Announces Plan To Join MLS After 10 Years At Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min has confirmed he’ll be leaving the club this summer, bringing his 10-year spell in North London to an end.

The 33-year-old joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 and went on to score 173 goals in 454 games.

He played a key role in the club’s recent success, including captaining the side to a Europa League final win over Manchester United in May to clinch their first major trophy in 17 years.

Son is now in advanced talks with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Los Angeles FC, as he eyes a move to the United States.

Although still under contract until 2026, the striker has decided the time is right for a change.

Speaking alongside new Spurs manager Thomas Frank, Son admitted the decision wasn’t easy.

“The decision is the most difficult one I have made in my career. I came to north London as a kid – a very young age, a young boy came to London who even didn’t speak English.

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

Tottenham are currently in Seoul for their pre-season tour, and Son is expected to start and wear the armband in their upcoming friendly against Newcastle. That match in front of his home fans could be his final appearance in a Spurs shirt.

Frank, who took over from Ange Postecoglou in June, praised Son as “a true Spurs legend and and one of the greatest players to play in the Premier League”.

“If that is the last game for Sonny, what a place to do it here in front of his home fans. It could be a beautiful ending,” Frank said.

Although Spurs face PSG in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13, Son may have completed his move to MLS before then.

Reflecting on his time at the club, Son said winning a European trophy with Tottenham “felt like I had achieved everything I possibly could”.

Since making his debut in September 2015, he played 333 Premier League matches, scoring 127 goals — placing him 16th on the league’s all-time scorers list, tied with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Son Heung-min’s partnership with Harry Kane was one of the most productive in Premier League history.

The duo combined for a record 47 goals, with Son netting 24 of those and Kane 23. Their peak came in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, where they linked up for 21 goals.

In 2021-22, Son became the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot, finishing with 23 goals alongside Mohamed Salah. The following year, he became the first Asian player to score 100 Premier League goals.

He also featured in the 2019 Champions League final against Liverpool and was named club captain in August 2023, following Hugo Lloris’s departure.

“I need a new environment to push myself. I need a little bit of change – 10 years is a long time,” Son added.

“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.”

Across all competitions, Son provided 101 assists and holds the club’s Premier League assist record with 71.

He’s also made the sixth-most appearances in Tottenham’s history, behind only club legends like Steve Perryman, Gary Mabbutt, and Glenn Hoddle.

This comes few months after Tottenham Hotspur parted ways with manager Ange Postecoglou, just two weeks after he led the club to a Europa League victory.