Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min, who recently announced his decision to leave the club after a decade, is reportedly close to signing with Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC in a deal that would make him one of the US league’s top three highest-paid players.
British outlet GiveMeSport reported Sunday that negotiations between the two sides are expected to proceed swiftly after Tottenham's Coupang Play Series match against fellow Premier League team Newcastle United, which is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. Sunday at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
The game is part of both teams’ preparations ahead of the 2025–26 Premier League season, which begins on Aug. 15.
Son has already shown interest in a move to LAFC and is currently negotiating personal terms with the club, according to the report, citing industry sources.
If the transfer is finalized, there is a strong likelihood that he will earn more than Inter Miami’s star midfielder Sergio Busquets, who ranks third on the MLS salary list, with an annual income of $8.7 million.
That would leave Son positioned right below global superstar Lionel Messi ($20.4 million) of Inter Miami and Lorenzo Insigne ($15.4 million) of Toronto FC in the league's salary rankings. Since Insigne’s deal with Toronto concludes at the end of this summer, Son could end up as the second-highest earner.
The report added that Tottenham and LAFC have been negotiating the transfer fee, with LAFC proposing around $20 million, while Tottenham is seeking $27 million.
Founded in 2014, LAFC has found quick success in the MLS, winning the Supporters’ Shield -- awarded to the team with the best regular-season record -- in 2019 and 2022, and securing its first MLS Cup title in 2022.
Son announced his decision to leave Tottenham during a press conference Saturday at IFC Mall in Yeouido, Seoul.
"This was not an easy decision, but I have decided to leave the club this summer," he said.
He did not specify his next move, but hinted at heading to the US, saying, “The upcoming World Cup in North and Central America could be my last, and I believe I need to be in an environment where I can give it my all.”
After joining Spurs in the summer of 2015 from Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Son, 33, has since delivered 173 goals and 101 assists over the course of 454 matches. He was given Tottenham's armband in 2023 and led the team to a long-awaited Europa League title in the 2024–25 season, which was the club’s first trophy in 17 years.
cjh@heraldcorp.com
