Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that Yves Bissouma will leave the club this summer when his contract expires, bringing an end to a spell that began with a £30million move from Brighton in 2022 and produced 111 appearances. The club posted its farewell on social media and told the midfielder: “We can confirm the departure of Yves Bissouma following the conclusion of his contract” and “Thank you for your service and all the best for the future, Biss.”

The timing matters because Spurs have now set out their retained list, and Bissouma is one of the first-team names on the way out as the summer window opens. For supporters searching for what happens next, the answer is not yet clear: Tottenham have only confirmed the exit, not the next destination, and Bissouma will leave as a free agent once the contract runs out.

There is a sharper edge to that exit when set against the scale of the investment. Tottenham paid £30million to bring Bissouma in from Brighton, and he was part of the squad across several seasons before injuries and inconsistency cut into his involvement. A knee injury and an ankle injury kept him out for the entire first half of last season, and his first appearance of the campaign did not come until January 17, in a 2-1 defeat to West Ham.

He went on to play 11 times for Tottenham across the rest of that season, but he was also an unused substitute in the final three Premier League matches, a sign that his place in the side had slipped away by the end. Tottenham’s decision to move on when his deal ends reflects that drift more plainly than any formal farewell could.

Bissouma is not leaving alone. Tottenham also confirmed that 10 academy players will depart this summer, including Pele Arganese-McDermott, Tyrell Ashcroft, Leo Black, Dante Cassanova, Matthew Craig and Calum Logan when their current deals end, along with Elijah Upson, who rejected a contract offer from the club, plus Jamel Beggs, Samal Bangura and Leon Myrtaj. The list shows a broader clear-out below the first team, but Bissouma’s exit is the one that lands hardest because it is the departure of a senior signing who never quite became untouchable.

What Tottenham have now made clear is that Bissouma’s chapter is closing on their terms, not his. The next question is where he plays after that, and for now the club is not giving an answer.