/https://sportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net/24/34/son-heung-min_1.jpg "Son Heung-min: What makes the iconic Spurs captain a Premier - Sports Mole")
Son Heung-min has announced that he is to depart Tottenham Hotspur after a decade at the London club, with the 33-year-old forward reportedly not considered a part of Thomas Frank's first XI.
The South Korea star has become a legend at Spurs, captaining them to their first trophy in 17 years and staying loyal despite interest from some of the world's biggest clubs and the exits of crucial teammates.
However, with what is likely to be his final World Cup coming up in 2026, Son is looking for a club that can offer him a regular starting spot, and MLS' Los Angeles FC are reportedly close to securing his signature this summer.
The former Bayer Leverkusen hitman is renowned as one of the best finishers of the modern era, and famously struck up a deadly partnership with England striker Harry Kane that was the bane of teams throughout the Premier League.
Here, Sports Mole considers Son's legacy both with Spurs and in the English top flight.
Son: A Tottenham Hotspur legend
Son joined Tottenham for £18m in the summer of 2015, signing from the Bundesliga with the reputation of being a hard-working forward.
In the almost 10 years since, he became Spurs' fifth-highest ever scorer and record assist maker, with an impressive 173 goals and 101 assists across 454 appearances.
Endearing himself to the fans with his combination of tireless pressing and technical prowess, the South Korean talisman was part of a number of memorable wins and was key in bringing Champions League football to Tottenham, not to mention reaching the 2018-19 final under Mauricio Pochettino.
Another reason for the deep-rooted adoration of the number seven is the fact that he gave his best years to the club, even though reported offers from the likes of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool could have given Son more trophies to look back on when he eventually hangs his boots up.
The contrast between his decision to stay and Kane - an academy graduate - choosing to leave speaks for itself, and Spurs fans were especially grateful considering the uncertainty that the side faced when their prolific striker left to join Bayern Munich.
In terms of the club's history books, they will remember Sonny as the captain that led the team to their first trophy since 2008, and their first European title in more than 50 years.
That being said, Son has naturally declined, and given that he struggled for fitness in 2024-25, perhaps it would be best to part ways while the attacker's best moments are fresh in the mind.
Son: A Premier League legend
It would be fair to say that Son does not have a trophy haul that reflects the calibre of player that he was during his time with Tottenham, though he is still held in high esteem by general football fans.
In 2021-22, the forward collected the top-flight's Golden Boot, sharing the award with Mohamed Salah after hitting 23 league goals in a single campaign.
Notably, zero of Son's goals that season came from the penalty spot, making him the only player since Sadio Mane in 2018-19 to have won the prize without being his team's dedicated penalty taker.
Adding to his legacy is the record-breaking duo he formed with Kane, as while there have been plenty of iconic tag-teams in the Premier League including the likes of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba or Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, none managed the raw output of the Tottenham pair.
The two combined to put the ball in the back of the net on 37 separate occasions, struck fear into defenders around the country and were responsible for single-handedly winning matches at times, especially against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, who were on the unfortunate end of a number of Spurs triumphs.