By MATT BARLOW
Published: | Updated:
Son Heung-min is wanted by Los Angeles FC and Tottenham will not stand in his way if he wants to leave and a deal can be struck.
There has been no formal bid from the MLS club, but there has been contact to declare an interest in signing the 33-year-old Spurs captain as they search for a new star striker after losing former Arsenal and Chelsea centre forward Olivier Giroud to Lille.
LAFC are reported to be preparing a deal in the region of £15-20million which could be enough to tempt Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy into talks.
Son is into the final year of his contract in North London and having scored 173 goals in 454 games and lifted the Europa League in May his status as a legend in N17 is guaranteed.
He has been a commercial phenomenon, too, and there is no prospect of him leaving before the pre-season tour to Asia, which features games against Arsenal in Hong Kong on Thursday and Newcastle in Seoul three days later.
Tottenham’s fee for the games would be slashed without Son, the biggest draw in Asian football. Equally, Son does not want to miss another chance to represent Spurs in South Korea or let down his millions of fans in his homeland.
MLS side Los Angeles FC are preparing a deal in the region of £15-20million for Son Heung-min
Tottenham will not stand in Son’s way if he wants to leave – provided the fee is good enough
Daniel Levy could be tempted to sell the club legend after 454 games and 173 goals scored
A new chapter is unfolding under Thomas Frank – after Ange Postecoglou led them to Europa League glory
Once they return, the question of his exit will become more urgent.
Spurs will take account of everything Son has done for the club. If it is a move he wants to happen they will try to help him achieve it, although Levy will not allow that to undermine any fee.
There is new chapter unfolding under Thomas Frank, who did little to quell the feeling Son would leave the club before end of the transfer window when he spoke last week.
Frank’s squad is well stocked in wide attacking areas and Son’s form was disappointing last season compared to his own high standards.
They have signed Mohamed Kudus from West Ham and made Mathys Tel’s loan from Bayern Munich permanent. There are Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, teenager Mikey Moore and Manor Solomon also in the squad.
There has been no firm interest in Son from Saudi Arabia’s Pro League clubs this summer. There were enquiries in 2023 but he made it clear he was not keen on a move to Saudi.
A move to the USA makes much more sense a year before they co-host the World Cup finals, a tournament for which South Korea have already qualified, and particularly to LA a city with the largest Korean community outside Korea.
LAFC signed Hugo Lloris, Son’s predecessor as Spurs captain, 18 months ago. The MLS is in mid-season, and they are fifth of 15 in the Western Conference with games in hand after taking part in the Club World Cup.
