Son leaves Tottenham to join MLS side Los Angeles FC
London
Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that Son Heung-min has joined Major League Soccer (MLS) side Los Angeles FC on a permanent transfer, reports BBC.com.
The report said that LAFC have paid an MLS record fee of $26m (£19.5m).
The forward revealed in a news conference on Saturday that he would leave Tottenham after 10 years at the club.
The 33-year-old was present at LAFC's 2-1 Leagues Cup win over Mexican side Tigres UANL on Tuesday.
The paperwork and medical were completed this week, allowing Son to complete the transfer.
The fee paid to Spurs for the South Korean surpasses the previous MLS record of £16.5m paid by Atlanta United to sign Emmanuel Latte Lath from Middlesbrough in February.
Son joins an LAFC side currently sixth in the Western Conference and reunites with former Tottenham team-mate Hugo Lloris.
He made his final appearance for Tottenham in a 1-1 pre-season friendly against Newcastle in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday.
After arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 he scored 173 goals in 454 appearances for Spurs.
He was captain when Tottenham beat Manchester United in the Europa League final in May to clinch their first trophy in 17 years.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said: 'Sonny is one of the greatest players to ever wear the famous Lilywhite shirt and he has been a joy to watch over the past decade.
'Not only is he a wonderfully gifted footballer, but he's also an incredible human being who has touched hearts and inspired people throughout the club and all over the world.'
'Sonny has given so much to this club, both on and off the pitch, and for that we are forever grateful.
'We wish him all the best for the future, and he will always be welcome back at the club as a beloved and cherished member of our Spurs family.'
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Agencies London Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that Son Heung-min has joined Major League Soccer (MLS) side Los Angeles FC on a permanent transfer, reports The report said that LAFC have paid an MLS record fee of $26m (£19.5m). The forward revealed in a news conference on Saturday that he would leave Tottenham after 10 years at the club. The 33-year-old was present at LAFC's 2-1 Leagues Cup win over Mexican side Tigres UANL on Tuesday. The paperwork and medical were completed this week, allowing Son to complete the transfer. The fee paid to Spurs for the South Korean surpasses the previous MLS record of £16.5m paid by Atlanta United to sign Emmanuel Latte Lath from Middlesbrough in February. Son joins an LAFC side currently sixth in the Western Conference and reunites with former Tottenham team-mate Hugo Lloris. He made his final appearance for Tottenham in a 1-1 pre-season friendly against Newcastle in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday. After arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 he scored 173 goals in 454 appearances for Spurs. He was captain when Tottenham beat Manchester United in the Europa League final in May to clinch their first trophy in 17 years. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said: 'Sonny is one of the greatest players to ever wear the famous Lilywhite shirt and he has been a joy to watch over the past decade. 'Not only is he a wonderfully gifted footballer, but he's also an incredible human being who has touched hearts and inspired people throughout the club and all over the world.' 'Sonny has given so much to this club, both on and off the pitch, and for that we are forever grateful. 'We wish him all the best for the future, and he will always be welcome back at the club as a beloved and cherished member of our Spurs family.'
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Son Heung-min has agreed to a contract with Los Angeles FC, finalizing his move to Major League Soccer (MLS) after a decade at Tottenham Hotspur. The 33-year-old South Korean superstar forward is joining LAFC three days after he formally announced his decision to leave Tottenham. Son attended LAFC's Leagues Cup match against Tigres at BMO Stadium on Tuesday night, watching from a luxury suite. LAFC will formally introduce Son at a news conference Wednesday, but the club showed the forward on the stadium video board late in the first half as he waved to roaring fans thrilled by their team's landmark acquisition. LAFC, a deep-pocketed club with significant team success in its first eight seasons of existence, reportedly paid a transfer fee of more than $20m, which could end up being the most ever for an MLS move. Son was a beloved presence at Spurs, scoring 173 goals in 454 competitive appearances for the North London club, while rising to global prominence with his combination of speed, playmaking skill and finishing acumen. The captain was given a memorable farewell last week in Seoul during Tottenham's exhibition match against Newcastle, getting a guard of honour from both teams and tearfully exiting in the second half while nearly 65,000 fans roared. But South Korea's most popular athlete – and almost certainly the greatest Asian soccer player in history – has chosen an auspicious stage for the next chapter of his ground-breaking career. Los Angeles has the world's largest ethnic Korean population outside Korea, with the city's vibrant Koreatown district sitting just a couple of kilometres (miles) from LAFC's BMO Stadium. LAFC is undoubtedly hoping to market Son as a soccer counterpart to the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, albeit on a smaller scale. Ohtani, the three-time MLB MVP from Japan who is on a trajectory to become the greatest Asian player in baseball history, draws fans from across the Pacific Rim to Dodger Stadium while attracting millions in sponsorships and partnerships for the Dodgers. Son's move to California also puts him in a position to have an effect on and off the field at the World Cup, which will be held across North America in 2026. Son, the captain of his national team, has already said he will play in his fourth World Cup. After leading Tottenham to its first European trophy in decades by winning the Europa League in May, in a fitting cap to his English career, Son will go straight into the MLS Cup race when he suits up for his new club. LAFC currently sits sixth in the Western Conference at 10-6-6, but with multiple games in hand on every team ahead of it due to its participation in the Club World Cup. Son's seven Premier League goals last season were his fewest since his Tottenham debut, but he still appears to have the pace and skill necessary to be a difference-maker at any level. He also turned 33 only a month ago, putting him on the younger end of the global stars recently arriving in MLS. Lionel Messi and Marco Reus were 35 and Luis Suarez was 37 when they went stateside in recent years, while Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris were both 37 when they joined LAFC last year. Son will be reunited in Los Angeles with longtime Tottenham teammate Lloris, who has been outstanding since becoming LAFC's goalkeeper last season. High-scoring French forward Denis Bouanga is the only designated player currently under contract for LAFC, and general manager John Thorrington has been criticised by some fans for not using the full power of his financial resources this season. LAFC spent months on an ultimately failed attempt to get France's Antoine Griezmann to leave Atletico Madrid. Bouanga and Son have both thrived on the left wing during their careers, but Son likely has more positional versatility than Bouanga, making him a candidate to line up in the middle or even on the right wing. Son seems to be an infinitely better fit for LAFC than Giroud, who moved to Lille last month after one disappointing year in California. LAFC plays a counterattacking, speed-based style that didn't suit Giroud's goal-scoring strengths, while Son should be right at home in such a system. But LAFC could also alter its style in the winter, after coach Steve Cherundolo departs for Germany following four largely successful seasons highlighted by an MLS Cup championship.
