Spurs captain Son Heung-min to leave Premier League club amid LAFC interest

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — After 10 years with Tottenham, captain Son Heung-min announced on Saturday that he plans to leave the English Premier League club.

Son, who helped Spurs win the Europa League title in May, said it was "the most difficult” decision of his career and added the club was supporting him as he looks to find another team, with Los Angeles FC a possible landing spot.

The 33-year-old South Korea international will start against Newcastle in a preseason friendly Sunday in Seoul in what could be his final match with the team.

Son, who scored 173 goals in 454 competitive appearances for Tottenham, opened the news conference by announcing he has “decided to leave this club in this summer” and that Spurs are “helping me to my decisions.”

“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," said Son, who fought back tears during his announcement.

“So I just want to say thank you to all of the Spurs fans," he added, "that gave me so much love and felt like it was my home. It was one of the toughest decisions I ever made.... But I think it’s the right time to make this decision."

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

He has been heavily linked with a move to LAFC, and there is reported interest from Saudi Arabian clubs.

Son also confirmed in Korean that he would play at the World Cup next summer in North America.

In May, Son finally won his first title in Europe when Tottenham defeated Manchester United in the Europa League final — the club's first major trophy since 2008. After that match, he said: “I felt the pressure. I wanted it so badly. It finally happened, and I can sleep easy now.”

Son added that the team’s recent success was a factor in his decision.

“Winning the Europa League made me feel I had achieved everything I could here,” he said. "I need a new environment for a fresh challenge.”

Son had been one of the biggest stars of the Premier League as he and Harry Kane became a formidable attacking partnership. Tottenham reached the Champions League final in 2019, losing to Liverpool.

After Kane's departure to Bayern Munich in 2023, Son was made captain by former head coach Ange Postecoglou.

Thomas Frank succeeded Postecoglou in June and the Danish coach paid tribute to Son on Saturday.

“He is truly a Spurs legend in every aspect,” Frank said. “One of the best players to ever play in the Premier League, in my opinion, as a winger. I think it is probably the perfect timing, going out on a high.”

Son is No. 5 on Tottenham's all-time goalscoring list, led by Kane (280 goals). Among other impressive stats, Son's 333 Premier League appearances is second-most in club history, trailing only Hugo Lloris (361).

Later in the news conference, Son reiterated he has not decided on his next club. But he said next year's World Cup is his No. 1 priority for his home country.

“I think I can share more about my future after tomorrow’s game once things become more certain,” he said.

"My most important priority right now is the World Cup. It’s likely to be my last World Cup and I want to give everything I have in that environment. I want to be able to play football happily, which I think will play the biggest role in my future decision-making. I am still trying to organize my thoughts around that.”

Stephen Moore contributed to this story.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Tottenham Hotspur's coach Thomas Frank, left, and his player Son Heung-min pose for photos after a press conference ahead of a preseason soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min reacts during a press conference ahead of a preseason soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min reacts during a press conference ahead of a preseason soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min plays the ball during the first North London Derby played outside the United Kingdom between Arsenal FC and Tottenham Hotspur, Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the Hong Kong Football Festival held at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung Min, right, takes on Arsenal's Ben White during a friendly soccer match between Arsenal FC and Tottenham Hotspur, Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the Hong Kong Football Festival at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min chases the ball during a friendly soccer match between Arsenal FC and Tottenham Hotspur, Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the Hong Kong Football Festival at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

FILE - Tottenham's Son Heung-min holds the trophy aloft as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Europa League final soccer match against Manchester United at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, on May 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)

Tottenham Hotspur's coach Thomas Frank, left, and his player Son Heung-min pose for photos after a press conference ahead of a preseason soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min reacts during a press conference ahead of a preseason soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min reacts during a press conference ahead of a preseason soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min plays the ball during the first North London Derby played outside the United Kingdom between Arsenal FC and Tottenham Hotspur, Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the Hong Kong Football Festival held at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung Min, right, takes on Arsenal's Ben White during a friendly soccer match between Arsenal FC and Tottenham Hotspur, Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the Hong Kong Football Festival at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min chases the ball during a friendly soccer match between Arsenal FC and Tottenham Hotspur, Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the Hong Kong Football Festival at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)