Tottenham captain Son Heung-min to leave Premier League club

Son Heung-min captained Tottenham Hotspur to the Europa League rubric past play but volition permission the nine this summer.

After 10 years with Tottenham Hotspur, skipper Son Heung-min announced connected Saturday that helium plans to permission the English Premier League club.

At a media league successful Seoul, Son, appearing astatine times to beryllium holding backmost tears, said his determination to permission the Spurs was ’the astir difficult” of his vocation and said the nine was supporting him arsenic helium looks to determination connected to different team.

Spurs volition look Newcastle United successful a preseason affable connected Sunday successful Seoul successful what could beryllium the last lucifer of Son’s clip astatine Spurs.

“Before we commencement the property conference, I conscionable privation to stock the accusation that I person decided to permission this nine successful this summer,” Son said. “Respectfully, this nine is helping maine to my decisions. So I conscionable wanted to stock this accusation earlier we commencement the conference.

“I came to North London arsenic a kid, 23 years old, precise young age, a young lad came to London who adjacent didn’t talk English and leaving this nine arsenic a grown antheral is simply a very, precise arrogant moment.”

He continued his tribute by thanking Tottenham fans.

“So I conscionable privation to accidental convey you to each of the Spurs fans that gave maine truthful overmuch emotion and felt similar it was my home,” helium said. “It was 1 of the toughest decisions I ever made. So I anticipation the goodbye is ever besides successful a bully timing you know. But I deliberation it’s the close clip to marque this decision.” Son was asked successful Korean connected his aboriginal playing plans, and helium replied: ’I don’t deliberation I person an reply yet.”

He besides confirmed successful Korean that helium would play for South Korea astatine the World Cup adjacent twelvemonth successful North America.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min lifts the trophy with teammates aft winning the Europa League final  [Andrew Couldridge/Reuters]

In May, Son yet won his archetypal rubric successful Europe arsenic Tottenham defeated Manchester United successful the Europa League final.

“I felt the pressure. I wanted it truthful badly,” Son said aft that match. “The past 7 days, I was dreaming astir this crippled each azygous day. It yet happened, and I tin slumber casual now.”

The 33-year-old Son has been 1 of the biggest stars of the Premier League, scoring 173 goals successful 454 competitory appearances for Tottenham. He was made skipper successful 2023 by erstwhile caput manager Ange Postecoglou and helped the nine assistance its Europa League title, a archetypal trophy since 2008.

Son added that the team’s caller occurrence was a factor: “ Winning the Europa League made maine consciousness I had achieved everything I could here. I request a caller situation for a caller challenge.”

Son has been heavy linked with a determination to the United States and determination is reported involvement from Saudi Arabian clubs.

Thomas Frank succeeded Postecoglou successful June and the Danish manager paid tribute to Son connected Saturday.

“He is genuinely a Spurs fable successful each aspect,” Frank said. “One of the champion players to ever play successful the Premier League, successful my opinion, arsenic a winger. I deliberation it is astir apt the cleanable timing, going retired connected a high.”

Later successful the media conference, Son reiterated that helium has not decided connected wherever helium volition play next. But helium said adjacent year’s World Cup was his precedence for his location country.

“I don’t deliberation I person an reply yet,” helium said of his aboriginal playing choices. “I deliberation I tin stock much astir my aboriginal aft tomorrow’s crippled erstwhile things go much certain.

“My astir important precedence close present is the World Cup. It’s apt to beryllium my past World Cup and I privation to springiness everything I person successful that situation … I privation to beryllium capable to play shot happily, which I deliberation volition play the biggest relation successful my aboriginal decision-making. I americium inactive trying to organise my thoughts astir that.”

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies