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Liam Payne is back on the market after the One Direction singer split from girlfriend Sophia Smith, a breakup that has reportedly left him “devastated.”

“He’s devastated that it’s over but it was for the best,” a source says of the couple, who dated for eight months, and first met while attending school.

“They were spending too much time apart and it’s only going to get worse this year – the band going on a super long tour, her getting busier with university.”

“Too much long distance,” the source laments. “It was draining for the both of them and led to a lot of arguments. Liam was the one who chose to end it.”

“There was no way to maintain the relationship,” a second source adds. “He had to do it as they would never see each other and he didn’t think it was fair.”

Payne, for his part, has been vocal, albeit cryptic on Twitter about the breakup. “Can’t be without you,” he wrote. “Worse thing I ever did was let you go.”

He added: “No all I got left is the thought of you.”

We wish them both the best in this brutal time.