Son Heung-Min: MLS’s newest star makes immediate impact

Los Angeles FC winger Son Hueng-Min officially made his move from the Premier League to Major League Soccer in early August, and despite being just one month into his time on the Pacific Coast, his impact has already been felt not only throughout his new club but within the MLS as a whole.

The South Korean native transferred to LAFC for €22 million, a record deal for the club, as their previous highest transfer fee was €10.45 million to Uruguayan side Peñarol in exchange for winger Brian Rodríguez back in the 2019-20 season. Son’s deal with the Black and Gold goes through 2027 with 2028 and 2029 options.

Son made his LAFC debut against the Chicago Fire shortly after the announcement of his transfer, and immediately showcased his class as he came off the bench, drew a penalty, and ultimately helped his new club secure a 2-2 draw.

In Son’s postgame interview, the winger expressed bits of disappointment and excitement.

“Obviously, it’s a bit disappointed not getting three points,” Son said. “Generally, I think everybody put a lot of effort and… happy made the debut and I hope… the goals are coming soon.”

Since making his debut, Son has started in all three of LAFC’s matches, registering one goal and one assist in the process. His lone goal for his new squad came against FC Dallas, scoring off a free kick from a few yards outside the 18-yard box.

The strike was particularly impressive considering he curled the ball over FC Dallas’s wall and into the top left corner of the goal with just the right amount of power.

Son’s goal was enough to earn LAFC a 1-1 draw during the three-game road trip they faced directly after the former Tottenham Hotspur was added to the lineup. Those away matches made his transition to American soccer more difficult, but they also built up excitement for his first home appearance in the City of Angels.

While Son has certainly made his presence known on the pitch, his popularity has also boosted other aspects within the organization.

For instance, as soon as Son’s jerseys became available, they instantly became one of the top-selling items in the world on Fanatics, only behind Lionel Messi in terms of a player joining an MLS side.

One other metric to showcase Son’s impact on the league is how ticket sales have surged since the transfer. Son’s home debut brought a sold-out crowd to BMO Stadium, where some tickets surpassed $1,400.

Looking back at MLS history, the league has not seen an impact this significant since Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami or Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s move to the LA Galaxy.

LAFC is currently sitting fifth in the MLS Western Conference with eight matches left to play, and while they set up to be playoff-bound, only time will tell if Son can lift them back into MLS Cup contention. The entire Western Conference continues to chase San Diego FC, who have a five-point lead and are sixteen points clear of Los Angeles.

The one impact that’s already been noticeable is Son’s off-the-pitch presence. The demand for tickets to see the South Korean international play is skyrocketing, jersey sales are rising, and with one game in hand over the rest of the conference, LAFC fans have a new spark to look forward to as the final stretch of the MLS season gets underway.