U.S. media are also paying keen attention to Son Heung-min's LAFC link.
Major media such as the New York Times and SB Nation are expressing extraordinary interest in dealing with Son Heung-min's possibility of going to MLS. SB Nation quoted a source from The Athletic's senior soccer editor Paul Tenorio on the 25th (Korea Standard Time) "At present, MLS' LA FC is strongly pushing to recruit Son Heung-min this summer." The final decision will eventually be made by Son Heung-min and Tottenham."
The Athletic mentioned Son's chances of going to LA earlier, saying, `Son Heung-min, who is considered one of the best players in the Premier League over the past decade, will be one of the biggest recruits in MLS history. Son has scored double-digit goals in the Premier League for eight consecutive seasons and seven goals and nine assists in 30 games last season. Son is enjoying immense popularity in Korea and across Asia. If LAFC recruits him, it can expect huge commercial effects in the Los Angeles area. According to the Pew Research Center, Los Angeles has the largest Korean population (320,000) in the United States, which is larger than New York (215,000) and Washington DC (95,000), suggesting the commercial and marketing value that Son Heung-min will bring.
While Rodrigo de Paul is confirmed to move to Miami, if Son Heung-min joins LAFC, it will be the second large recruitment in the transfer market this summer, and explained that LAFC terminated its contract with striker Olivier Giroud by mutual agreement, leaving two seats empty for Designated Player (DP). If Son Heung-min signs with LAFC, he will reunite with Hugo Lloris, a longtime Tottenham teammate. Lloris, a former goalkeeper from the French national team, joined LAFC in 2024 and has played 52 league games since last season.
SB Nation, which cited The Athletic's report, said 'Should I ignite this transfer rumor?' 'We've written before that LAFC isn't the worst place for Son Heung-min to be in the twilight of his career. It's because it's a big city with a large Korean population. 'The flight time back to Korea for the A match is a little shorter than in Europe, and it is a place where Son Heung-min can enjoy a pleasant life and get along well. LAFC can pay a significant transfer fee for Son because it has secured one designated player position if Son decides to accept the offer. Son may also face Lionel Messi once or twice in a season. There are many good things about it.'
He also pointed out a realistic problem that could be a hurdle to Son Heung-min's trip to LA. The highest transfer fee ever for MLS is $22 million (about 30.3 billion won). MLS viewers say LAFC typically brings only players who can be traded later in order to pursue profits. LAFC's highest transfer fee ever was 11 million dollars (about 15 billion won). Son Heung-min will be a clear change for them when it comes to recruiting older superstars. However, LA is unlikely to break the bank account, and Tottenham is unlikely to sell it for less than 8 million pounds (about 14.8 billion won) with one year left on his contract with Son Heung-min, the captain, the symbol of the team, and one of the greatest players in team history. 'According to reports from England, nothing has been confirmed yet, and all that is certain is that LAFC wants Son Heung-min very badly. 'Everything is possible in football. The possibility of a transfer to LA in January seems more realistic, although the possibility of a transfer cannot be completely ruled out. This is the time when the MLS season begins and Tottenham will also be able to test whether Son Heung-min is still competitive. The media concluded that "'The opinions over Son Heung-min's transfer have risen to the extreme over the past month and this uncertainty will continue until Son Heung-min's intentions are clear in the future.'"
On the 25th, a series of British media, including The Sun and The Mirror, once again nailed it, saying, `Tottenham is considering LAFC's £15 million transfer offer for Son Heung-min.'The Sun reported that `Tottenham is considering a £15 million transfer offer for captain Son Heung-min,' adding that `South Korean star Son Heung-min's future at Tottenham has become uncertain, and he is currently a target of LAFC's recruitment.' The Sun added that Son Heung-min, 33, is likely to leave the team, and Tottenham is ready to accept a transfer offer of between £15 million and £20 million, adding that the transfer is unlikely to take place immediately, and Son will remain at Tottenham during the pre-season tour in Asia. Tottenham are scheduled for a pre-season friendly against Newcastle in Seoul on Aug. 3 after playing Arsenal's North London derby in Hong Kong. The Sun said, `South Korea's national team Son Heung-min is very popular in South Korea and across Asia,' adding, `If Tottenham sells Son before the Asian tour against Newcastle, it will lose up to 75 percent of its match revenue. Son Heung-min is designated as a 'key player' in the tour contract and if he travels with the squad but does not play, Tottenham cannot receive 50% of the fee.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
