Son Heung-min to MLS? Tottenham star leaves Premier League and could face Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi

Major League Soccer could welcome another global superstar this summer, adding to a growing list led by Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi. Son Heung-min confirmed the end of his time with Tottenham Hotspur, and his future appears set to unfold away from the Premier League.

“I have decided to leave the club this summer,” Son said, according to The Guardian, during a press conference this weekend in South Korea, where the Spurs are currently on their preseason tour. “It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career. Such amazing memories. It was so hard to make the decision.”

The forward then elaborated on the reasons behind this major career move. “I need a new environment to push myself. I need a little bit of change – 10 years is a long time,” he explained. “I came to north London as a kid, 23 years old, such a young age. I leave this club as a grown man, a very proud man.”

Son is closing out a successful stint at Tottenham, where he scored 173 goals in 454 matches between 2015 and 2025. And the timing seems fitting, as this year he finally captured a trophy with the Spurs by winning the UEFA Europa League.

Son’s future could be in MLS

With his Tottenham exit confirmed in his own words, the big question now is where he’ll go next. “Negotiations underway with MLS side LAFC after he was also approached by Saudi clubs in May,” reported transfer insider Fabrizio Romano via his X account. “MLS, most likely destination.”

Rumors linking Son to Los Angeles FC are not new. In fact, Romano had previously mentioned this possibility, noting the California side has big plans for the forward: “LAFC has already submitted an initial proposal to Heung-Min Son to become the new face of their project.”

LAFC are among the most aggressive MLS teams in pursuing top-tier European talent. They already have another former Tottenham player, French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, and recently parted ways with Olivier Giroud. The club has also been linked to Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann in the past.

A tough rival for Messi?

Just as LAFC in the West have targeted world-class stars to bolster its roster, Inter Miami in the East have taken that strategy even further. No other team in MLS has leaned more heavily on global icons not only to raise the squad’s quality but also to attract worldwide attention.

The arrival of Lionel Messi in July 2023 accomplished exactly that and was followed by the signings of Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suarez. Rodrigo De Paul was the latest to join that elite group. That’s why it would be fascinating to see if LAFC can follow a similar path by building a strong core around Heung-min Son.