Son Heung-min’s move to Los Angeles FC is already proving to be one of Major League Soccer’s most successful signings.

The former Tottenham Hotspur attacker joined over the summer for an MLS record fee in the region of $27m and has gone on to score nine goals and provide two assists in 10 league games as LAFC finished third in the Western Conference to set up a first-round playoff tie against Austin. One of those strikes, a stunning free-kick against Dallas in August, was recently voted MLS Goal of the Year.

Son has already made an impact on and off the field, much like he did at Spurs, where he scored 173 goals in 454 appearances and lifted the Europa League trophy last season. And along with his own goal contributions, Son’s presence helped Gabon international Denis Bouanga score 11 goals in nine games between August and October.

The 33-year-old has quite simply become an instant fan favourite, which is perhaps no surprise given his genial personality, goal-scoring threat and the fact Los Angeles is home to the largest Korean population in the United States. Hundreds form part of the popular LAFC supporters’ group, The Tigers, which was conceived as the first Korean fan club in any North American major-league sport. Son even paid them a surprise visit in 2018, long before he knew he would be joining LAFC.

“Son is just really special for us,” said LAFC’s chief business officer Stacy Johns, speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT at the World Football Summit in Portugal. “The signing was very well planned and Son ticked every box. We needed someone in his position. Add to that his style, demeanour and the market he comes from and resonates with, it was a no-brainer for us.

“What stands out for us is Son’s love of the game and just the kind of person he is. Our sporting department places heavy importance on the person, not just the player. And I have to say, we’d heard a lot of wonderful things about Son, but when you meet him he’s even more incredible in person.

Son’s unveiling was watched by almost 250,000 people on YouTube, while LAFC accrued 34 billion views across their social media channels. And he’s sparked a 16 percent increase in away attendances. LAFC’s 4-2 win at San Jose in September took place in front of a record crowd of 50,978 at Levi’s Stadium.

Son Having a Messi-Like Impact

In the 72 hours following his LAFC arrival, Son was the top-selling athlete across the Fanatics Network for jersey sales in any sport. He now ranks second all-time in MLS consumer product sales, behind only Lionel Messi. And without the legendary Argentine World Cup winner joining Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, Son might not have even made the switch to North America.

“LAFC was not my first choice,” Son said at his unveiling. “But big credit to [LAFC co-president] John Thorrington, who changed my mind. And then there’s Messi. His decision to join MLS has had a huge effect, including on me. What he’s done for football in America also helped change my mind. I am now very lucky to share a pitch with Messi, even though we are rivals.”

Los Angeles has been accustomed to star footballers ever since LA Galaxy signed David Beckham in July 2007. LAFC also had Carlos Vela from 2018 to 2024, with the Mexico attacker scoring 93 goals in 187 games. Vela’s standout season came in 2019 with 38 goals in 36 appearances as LAFC won the Supporters’ Shield, awarded to the team with the most points across the regular MLS season. In the same way Son has tapped into LA’s Korean community, Vela was a box-office hit with the city’s vibrant Mexican population.

“I think Americans just love a sports star,” said Johns, who also sits on the European Football Clubs board. “You only have to look at Son, Vela, Messi or Beckham to see that. It’s probably fair to say Los Angeles just expects stars across all sports. You don’t have to look any further than LeBron James to see this.

“But our strategy isn’t just to sign a collection of stars. We want to bring global football to Los Angeles, invest in and develop young talent, give back to the community and, of course, win things. It’s hard to be successful if you don’t do that here because LA is a town of winners.

“When we had Carlos Vela, we were a brand-new franchise. We were founded in 2014, but our first MLS season was in 2018. So our pitch to Vela was basically just on paper. He took a huge bet on us. And he worked so well because he was invested in our project and the city of Los Angeles. We think Son is exactly the same.

“We are ambitious and want to sign exciting players, but it’s not a top-down strategy that starts with money or ‘celebrity’ footballers. What drives everything is our strong foundations and authentic football vision. Hopefully that makes us a sustainable club and attractive to players and fans alike.”

Club World Cup Money Not Solely Spent on Son

LAFC were boosted over the summer with an unexpected Club World Cup windfall after Club Leon were removed from the tournament at the last minute due to a multi-club breach. It resulted in a winner-takes-all playoff between LAFC and Club America worth $9.55m (£7.1m). LAFC won the game 2-1 and got to face Chelsea, Tunis and Flamengo. They then pocketed a further $1m by drawing with Flamengo, but it wasn’t enough to make it to the knockout stage.

The MLS salary cap prevents LAFC from simply spending all their prize money on their squad, and unlike fellow Club World Cup entrants Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders, they had to factor in playing their games away from Los Angeles.

“We had quite a lot of costs because we were playing on the East Coast rather than our own BMO Stadium,” said Johns. “And we had to pay our players and coaches for the tournament. It definitely wasn’t as simple as putting $10m towards the $27m transfer fee [for Son]. But it was a fantastic experience to play Chelsea, Tunis and Flamengo. These games can only help us grow our club and brand.”

Cherundolo Seeking MLS Cup Glory Ahead of LAFC Farewell

LAFC are now hoping to lift their second MLS Cup, having won their only championship in 2022 when they beat Philadelphia Union on penalties with Gareth Bale as part of their squad. The former Tottenham Hotspur winger scored a dramatic equaliser in the eighth minute of injury time as the game finished 3-3 after extra-time.

Current head coach Steve Cherundolo was in charge back then and not only won the MLS Cup but also the Supporters’ Shield that year. His side are now one of the 2025 championship favourites along with Messi’s Inter Miami, Thomas Muller’s Vancouver Whitecaps and MLS newcomers San Diego. And there is an added incentive for LAFC as Cherundolo will step down at the end of the season.

GMS understands that reports suggesting an agreement is already in place with former Mexico, Barcelona and Inter Miami manager Tata Martino are wide of the mark. Martino is instead believed to be advancing talks with Atlanta United.

Ange Postecoglou was also linked with the job prior to joining Nottingham Forest. The 60-year-old is a free agent again after lasting only 39 days at the City Ground. There are currently no active talks between LAFC and Postecoglou, so a reunion between Son and his former Spurs boss is not on the cards as it stands.

“We are doing a lot of work on hiring a new coach,” said Johns. “It is about putting all the pieces together because Steve is leaving at the end of the season. As chief business officer, my role is to input into our decision-making process.

“I don’t pick names, but I tend to look at some of our key decisions through financial, commercial, brand or strategic filters, which help us get the fullest possible picture. We have a very rounded executive team, and we make decisions thoughtfully and collaboratively. But regarding our new coach, that’s one for our football department to lead on.”

Could LAFC Face Angel City?

LAFC might be an ambitious standalone men’s franchise, but Johns is heavily invested in the women’s game as well. NWSL side Angel City FC are tenants at BMO Stadium and last year, LAFC purchased a small stake in the club, which is run by controlling owners Willow Bay and her husband Bob Iger, who is also CEO of the Walt Disney Company. It means the most valuable men’s and women’s soccer clubs in the United States have joined forces.

“LAFC has been a champion of Angel City Football Club and its co-founders since the very beginning, and it has been incredible to watch how far the club has come in just three seasons,” read a club statement last year. “We are thrilled to officially join the Angel City Football Club ownership group as minority investors and look forward to continuing to support the club, management, Willow, and Bob for many years to come.”

As both franchises look to further strengthen their connection, GMS can reveal that the novel idea of a match between the two clubs has been discussed.

“Angel City is our first ever tenant and I played a part in helping them settle and grow,” said Johns. “[Angel City president] Julie Urhman and I are very close friends. I am so proud of what Angel City has done for women’s sports, including being trailblazers for equal pay. Our values align. Like us, they think community-first. By playing in our building, Angel City has become part of our fabric and I would estimate around 30 percent of our fans also follow them.

“I do think we’ll see ourselves starting to try to do more together, because it is the right thing to do. Julie and I talk all the time about how we could collaborate, including whether we are going to play a game against each other. That would be kind of crazy but super fun. This year has been busy for everyone, so it’s been tough to do anything, but we’ve definitely had those conversations. I hope you’ll see more things in the future if the calendar permits.”

LAFC is currently valued by Forbes at $1.25bn, ranking first in North America and 15th in world football, above Inter Miami ($1.2bn). Real Madrid top the list ($6.75bn) ahead of Manchester United ($6.6bn). Premier League clubs West Ham United ($1.125bn), Newcastle United ($1.1bn), Aston Villa ($900m), Brighton & Hove Albion ($860m), Fulham ($850m) and Crystal Palace ($790m) are all worth less than LAFC.

Franchise protection, a strong local market, a successful stadium naming rights deal, consistent sell-outs at the BMO Stadium and celebrity investors including Will Ferrell, Magic Johnson and Giorgio Chiellini are all contributing factors. And LAFC’s owners could seek strategic investment between now and the 2026 World Cup.

Angel City, meanwhile, is valued around $250m and has aspirations to become the first ever $1bn women’s football franchise. Only Chelsea, at $258m, has a higher-valued women’s team by industry experts.

“I think it’s impossible to compare European and American valuations,” said Johns, who has experience working in Europe, having spent a year as president of the board of directors at Swiss side Grasshopper Club Zurich in 2024. “Franchise protection for LAFC and Angel City is important. When I was at Grasshoppers, our financial planning reflected the results, positive or negative, actual or projected. It’s obviously commonplace in Europe and in many ways exciting for fans of smaller clubs to know they can reach the very top. But the advantage of being a franchise is brand protection, and that has value.

“According to Forbes, we are currently worth over $1bn. Now we have Son, we think we’re worth more than that. Our belief is we can grow even faster than planned with him at the club.

“In the next year or so, if not sooner, you’ll also see us probably raising some money from outside our ownership group that will validate the [Forbes] valuation. We are really excited about our future, and hopefully we can give our fans another MLS Cup to celebrate this season!”

The ‘Son’ is currently shining and LAFC’s long-term future looks bright. All aspects of the club are expected to benefit from the 2026 World Cup next summer, while 2028 will see LAFC celebrate their 10th MLS season. If all goes to plan, Son will be there for it. His contract runs through to 2027, but there are options to extend it until December 2028 or 2029.

With Son scoring, and attracting thousands of new fans, ambitious LAFC will feel they just might be worth $2bn by then, which would be an astonishing rise for a club that is still so young but growing at an exciting pace.

All statistics courtesy of Sofascore – correct as of 30/10/2025