Son Heung-min's emotional farewell to Spurs after completing record £19.5m transfer exit

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the sale of Son Heung-min to Los Angeles FC. The South Korea international has moved for the highest fee in Major League Soccer history, costing the Californian side around £19.5million, and shared an emotional farewell message to Spurs' fans.

“Well, to all the Spurs fans. I mean, it’s such a hard decision that I will leave the Spurs family," the forward said. "It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made.

“And, as I said, there’ll be no forever. And I gave [my] all. I know it sounds very surprising. I know it sounds very hard. And, because I gave my all, I feel like I need a new chapter."

He continued: “It was probably one of the hardest decisions I ever made so please don’t be disappointed. I will be disappointed, not seeing you on the pitch,” he continued. I will always be in your history books. And Spurs will always be in my heart and Spurs will always be in my family.”

“And as a kid, you welcomed me and as I grew up I’m leaving you but there’s always good timing. I always wanted to leave in a perfect way, [so] that people can think about me in very proud moments and very happy moments. This is the right time to say goodbye.”

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During Spurs' pre-season tour of his native South Korea, Son confirmed his time in North London was coming to an end. He had spent the last decade with the team, helping them win the Europa League at the end of last season.

His move to LAFC will see him reunited with former Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The French international joined the MLS side in 2024 and has been their regular No.1 since moving across the Atlantic.

Son had just turned 23 when he joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015. He took a bit of time to establish himself, blowing hot and cold in his first season, but then hit 10 or more goals in the league for each of the following eight campaigns as he linked up with the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli.

He replaced Lloris as Spurs' captain in 2023, when Ange Postecoglou took over as manager. Those two seasons as skipper saw the team finish fifth to qualify for the Europa League and then win a European trophy, beating Manchester United in the final in May.

Son's Spurs exit comes as the club prepares for a first season under new manager Thomas Frank. They have already spent big in an effort to make up for the loss of a popular figure, with £55m Ghana star Mohammed Kudus among the new arrivals.

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