Spurs captain Son Heung-min to leave English Premier League club

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Captain Son Heung-min announced on Saturday that he will be leaving Tottenham Hotspur.

At a media conference in Seoul, Son said his decision to leave the English Premier League club was ’the most difficult” of his career and said the club was supporting him as he looks to move on to another club.

Spurs will face Newcastle United in a preseason friendly on Sunday in Seoul in what could the final match of Son’s time at Spurs.

“Before we start the press conference, I just want to share the information that I have decided to leave this club in this summer,” Son said. “Respectfully, this club is helping me to my decisions. So I just wanted to share this information before we start the conference.”

“I came to North London as a kid, 23 years old, very young age, a young boy came to London who even didn’t speak English and leaving this club as a grown man is a very, very proud moment.”

He continued his tribute by thanking Tottenham fans.

“So I just want to say thank you to all of the Spurs fans that gave me so much love and felt like it was my home,” he said. “It was one of the toughest decisions I ever made. So I hope the goodbye is always also in a good timing you know. But I think it’s the right time to make this decision. So I hope that everybody understands my decision and hope that everyone respects that.”

Son was asked in Korean on his future playing plans, and he replied: ‘I don’t think I have an answer yet.”

He also confirmed in Korean that he would play for South Korea at the World Cup next year in North America.

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The Associated Press