By : Osabuohien Imuetinyanosa
South Korean forward Son Heung-min said he is “here to win” after he joined Los Angeles FC for a record Major League Soccer transfer fee, ending a decade-long stint at Tottenham Hotspur.
Son was introduced at LAFC’s BMO Stadium on Wednesday, where he was greeted by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and city officials amid chants and drumming from supporters’ group 3252.
“What can I say, dream come true. LA, what a city,” Son told reporters at his unveiling.
Financial details of the transfer were not disclosed by either club but the Athletic reported LAFC paid a fee in the region of $26.5 million for the 33-year-old.
Son revealed LAFC was not his initial preference, but credited the club’s co-president and general manager John Thorrington with persuading him to make the switch.
“He just changed my mind, heart, he changed my brain. He showed me the destination where I should be and right now I’m here and I’m so, so excited,” said Son, who attended LAFC’s 2-1 win over Tigres UANL on Tuesday night.
“I’m here to win, I will perform and I will definitely show you some exciting football, and we will definitely have success,” he said.
The move is expected to resonate with Los Angeles’ sizeable Korean community, with LAFC’s stadium located just south of Koreatown.
Son follows in the footsteps of other international stars who have joined LAFC, including Carlos Vela, Giorgio Chiellini, Olivier Giroud, and former Tottenham teammates Gareth Bale and Hugo Lloris.
Son, who joined Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, led the north London club to their first trophy in 17 years with a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final in May.
The former Spurs captain made 454 appearances for the team and scored 173 goals, winning the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2021-22 season.
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Reflecting on his departure from Tottenham, Son described the move as “very emotional.”
“I felt like I needed a new chapter, I needed a new challenge and I chose LAFC,” he said.
“I think you could say I’m old but I still have good physicality, good legs, and still have a good quality.
“Obviously I’m here to perform but I also want to give some advice to some young players for improvement.
“I can’t wait… Let’s do it together and win the trophy.”
It was not immediately clear when Son will make his debut for the Black and Gold, who are currently sixth in the Western Conference and travel to face Chicago Fire on Saturday.
LAFC’s Thorrington called signing Son an “historic” day for the club.
“Sonny is a world class talent, a global icon of football and we’re thrilled that he has chosen to write the next chapter of his remarkable career with us here at LAFC,” he said.
Son, capped 134 times by South Korea, joins LAFC after an emotional farewell to Spurs during a friendly against Newcastle United at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
“Sonny has given so much to this club, both on and off the pitch, and for that we are forever grateful,” Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said in a club statement.
“We wish him all the best for the future, and he will always be welcome back as a beloved and cherished member of our Spurs family.”(Reuters)
