LAFC Signs Global Football Icon Son Heung-Min
MLS Los Angeles FC

LAFC Signs Global Football Icon Son Heung-Min

August 6, 2025 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Los Angeles FC News Release


LAFC announced today that the club has acquired Son Heung-Min from Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League on a permanent transfer. Son will be a Designated Player through 2027 with an option for 2028 and an additional option through June 2029. Son will occupy an international roster slot and be eligible to play upon receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC).

One of the most talented and popular Asian players in football history, Son joins LAFC after an iconic 10-year run with Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, where he scored 173 goals across all competitions, registered 101 assists, and became the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot in 2021-22.

The captain of the South Korean National Team, Son has appeared in three World Cups and is one of South Korea's all-time leading scorers in over 130 appearances.

"Sonny is a global icon and one of the most dynamic and accomplished players in world football," said LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington. "His ambition, ability, and character align perfectly with our values at LAFC. We are proud that he has chosen Los Angeles for the next chapter of his extraordinary career. Sonny is a proven winner and a world-class individual, and we are confident he will elevate our club and inspire our community - both on and off the pitch."

Son becomes the latest in a distinguished line of international football stars to join LAFC, following in the footsteps of Carlos Vela, Giorgio Chiellini, Olivier Giroud, and former Tottenham teammates Gareth Bale and Hugo Lloris.

"I'm incredibly proud to be joining LAFC, a club with big ambitions in one of the most iconic sports cities in the world," Son said. "Los Angeles has such a rich history of champions, and I am here to help write the next chapter. I'm excited for this new challenge in MLS. I have come to L.A. to lift trophies and give everything for this club, this city, and its fans. I cannot wait to get started."

A native of Chuncheon, South Korea, Son made his Bundesliga debut in Germany with Hamburg SV at 18. He moved to Bayer Leverkusen in 2013, scoring 21 goals in 62 appearances before signing with Tottenham in 2015. At Tottenham, Son was twice named the club's Player of the Year, selected to the PFA Team of the Year, and helped lead the team to the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final. His goal vs. Burnley on Dec. 7, 2019, won the FIFA Puskas Award for "most beautiful" goal of the year. Following Lloris as Tottenham's captain in 2023, Son led the Spurs to the 2025 UEFA Europa League title, helping the club capture its first trophy in 17 years.

"Bringing Sonny to LAFC and to our city has been a dream of ours for several years," LAFC Lead Managing Owner Bennett Rosenthal said. "My partners and I are huge admirers of Sonny the player and Sonny the person. His signing is a statement of our commitment to excellence on the pitch and our ambition to continue to build our reputation as a world class club on the global football stage. Sonny as a player and person will inspire not only our fans in LA and the incredible community in Southern California, but millions of fans around the world."

For South Korea, Son has scored 51 international goals, and represented his country in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups and four AFC Asian Cups. In 2018, he led South Korea to a gold medal at the Asian Games.

Name: Son Heung-Min

Position: Forward

Born: July 8, 1992

Height: 6'0"

Birthplace: Chuncheon, South Korea

Citizenship: South Korea

Last Club: Tottenham Hotspur

TRANSACTION: LAFC has acquired Son Heung-Min to a Designated Player contract from Tottenham Hotspur through 2027 with an option for 2028 and an additional option through June 2029.

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