Tottenham Hotspur legend Son Heung-Min has announced his decision to leave the North London club after a decade of service, revealing his desire to join Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC.
The South Korea captain, who led Spurs to UEFA Europa League glory in May, will play his farewell match against Newcastle United on Sunday at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, donning the captain’s armband in front of his home crowd.
Son, 33, made the announcement during a press conference in Seoul, where he was joined by Brentford manager Thomas Frank. “It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career. I need a new environment to push myself. I need a little bit of change — 10 years is a long time,” he said. “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.”
Despite being under contract with Spurs until 2026, the club is reportedly supporting Son’s decision to move on. Offers had come from Saudi Pro League clubs, but the forward has expressed a clear preference for LAFC — a team where his former Spurs teammates Hugo Lloris and Gareth Bale have also featured.
Son’s move to the U.S. could be driven not just by football but also by commercial appeal. The United States has the largest Korean population outside Asia, with Los Angeles home to the biggest community — making LAFC a culturally and commercially strategic destination for the South Korean star.
Over his 10 years with Tottenham, Son scored 173 goals — placing him fifth on the club’s all-time scorers list — and became just the seventh player in Spurs history to make more than 450 appearances, finishing with 454 caps.
His crowning moment came in May when he lifted the UEFA Europa League title after Tottenham edged past Manchester United 1-0 in the final held in Bilbao — a fitting send-off for one of the club’s modern greats.
