Los Angeles, Aug 7 (IANS) Major League Soccer (MLS) club Los Angeles FC have signed Tottenham Hotspur legend Son Heung-Min. The 33-year old will occupy an international roster slot and will 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 joined 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 33-year-old reportedly cost a Major League Soccer record USD 26 million transfer fee after a decade in the Premier League where he became a household name.

Son became 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. 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,” Son said in a statement.

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. 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. 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,” said LAFC Lead Managing Owner Bennett Rosenthal.

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.

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.

–IANS

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