Son Heung-min has agreed to join Los Angeles FC after a decade at Tottenham Hotspur, with the forward set to embark on a new chapter in Major League Soccer.
The 33-year-old South Korean international attended LAFC’s Leagues Cup home victory over Tigres on Tuesday, watching from a luxury suite before waving to the home supporters when shown on the stadium’s video board late in the first half. He is expected to be officially unveiled on Wednesday.
LAFC, one of MLS’s wealthiest and most successful clubs since their inception eight years ago, are reported to have paid a transfer fee of more than €18.37m for the player.
Son departs Tottenham as one of the club’s modern icons, having scored 173 goals in 454 appearances. He received an emotional farewell last week in Seoul during Spurs’ exhibition match against Newcastle United, where he was given a guard of honour by both teams and left the pitch in tears midway through the second half.
South Korea’s most celebrated athlete will now play in a city with the largest ethnic Korean population outside of his homeland. Los Angeles’s Koreatown district, located just a few miles from LAFC’s BMO Stadium, is expected to provide Son with a strong and passionate local following.
Currently sixth in the Western Conference but with multiple games in hand due to their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup, LAFC will hope Son’s pace, versatility and clinical finishing can help propel them into the title picture. The forward will also reunite with former Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris, who joined the club earlier this year.
LAFC’s counterattacking, speed-focused style appears well-suited to Son’s strengths, in contrast to Olivier Giroud, who left for Lille last month after a year in which he struggled to adapt to the team’s system.
Son’s move marks a significant shift in his career, from the Premier League spotlight to a new challenge in North America, while giving LAFC a marquee signing capable of captivating both their fanbase and the city’s vibrant Korean community.
