Son Heung-min admits Los Angeles FC move was not his first choice

Son Heung-min admitted Los Angeles FC were not his first choice destination after he ended a 10-year stay at Tottenham but insisted they had “changed his heart” on a record Major League Soccer transfer.

The 33-year-old on Wednesday completed a move worth in excess of £20million – the highest transfer fee paid by an MLS club – after it was revealed on Saturday he would be leaving Spurs following 173 goals in 454 appearances and months after he captained the club to Europa League glory.

At an introductory press conference in Los Angeles, the South Korea international admitted he had to be persuaded of the merits of moving to the United States before signing an initial two-year deal.

New Beginnings ☀️

Welcome to Los Angeles, Sonny! pic.twitter.com/fFS1PvI7PG

— LAFC (@LAFC) August 6, 2025

“They’ve been absolutely working so hard to get me here to join LAFC,” Son said. “If I’m honest it was not my first choice but John (Thorrington, LAFC general manager) was the first call when the season finished and John changed my mind, he changed my heart.

“I’m so happy to see all the Korean fans, I was at the game and I saw you supporting like crazy and I wanted to run on the pitch and show my performance. I’m here to win and I will perform.

“I will definitely show you something exciting in… are we calling it football or soccer? I will definitely show you some exciting football and we will have success.”

Son added that the decision to leave Spurs had left him feeling “very empty”.

“I felt like I gave it all, but I felt like I needed a new chapter and new challenge and I chose LAFC. I’m old but I still have good physicality, good legs and I still have good quality.”

Earlier Son had issued an heartfelt message to Tottenham fans on making