Son Heung-min Moves To LAFC, There Is A Role In The South Korean Community In Los Angeles

JAKARTA - South Korean national team captain Son Heung-min will play at MLS after agreeing to join Los Angeles FC. There is a South Korean community role in Los Angeles that makes Son accepts the club's offer.

Tottenham Hotspur immediately released Son. Despite having an important 10-year role at Tottenham and ending the trophy thirst after winning the Europa League by beating Manchester United 1-0, this North London club still chooses to part with Son.

Son himself admitted that it was hard to leave Tottenham. But he expressed readiness to face new challenges by playing outside the English Premier League.

"This is the most difficult decision in my career. How not, I spent 10 years at Tottenham. And I have achieved everything at Tottenham," Son said as quoted by Sport Mole.

"But I do need a new atmosphere with new challenges. I am happy because the club respects my decision," he said.

The 33-year-old forward has actually been targeted by Saudi Arabian and MLS clubs. One of the Saudi Arabia's Pro-League clubs has bid 30 million pounds for Son purchases. This is in accordance with the price request from Tottenham.

But the player who scored 173 goals and made 101 assists during 454 games with The Lilywhites chose to accept the LAFC offer.

Tottenham was forced to agree to transfer to the LAFC even though the club bid half the Saudi Arabian club's offer. Yes, LAFC only bid 15.1 million pounds which Tottenham finally received.

Then why did Son choose to play at LAFC? It turns out that this is inseparable from the role of the South Korean community who live in Los Angeles.

The number of South Koreans who migrated and settled in one of the metropolitan cities in the United States which was large enough was a consideration for LAFC to recruit Son.

Not only that, the LAFC even asked for help from the community to have a meeting with Son before Tottenham tried out against Newcastle United, Sunday, July 3, 2025 at 18.00 WIB. From meetings and negotiations, Son is willing to join the LAFC.

Joining the LAFC, Son reunited with his colleagues at Tottenham. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who has played for 10 years at Tottenham, joined the LAFC in January 2024.

Son will also be one of the highest-paid players at MLS. Son's salary is predicted to be higher than that received by Sergio Busquets at Inter Miami. The former Barcelona midfielder and the Spanish national team pocketed a salary of 6.6 million pounds for one year.

Meanwhile, his partner at the Lionel Messi club became the highest-paid player. Messi received a salary of 15.5 million pounds in 2024. Followed by Lorenzo Insigne who received a salary of 11.5 million pounds from Toronto FC.