LOS ANGELES - South Korean star Son Heung-min has not even been officially announced as joining Los Angeles FC of MLS but excited fans are already waiting to welcome him.
ESPN and The Athletic report that Son, who left Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, will sign with LAFC for an MLS-record transfer fee of US$26 million.
After press reports about Son's possible arrival on Tuesday at Los Angeles International Airport, about 40 fans of Son went to see if they could get an autograph or photograph or even a glimpse of their idol.
They were unable to see Son, however, after his sendoff in South Korea a few hours earlier.
"Son is immensely important to me. I used to wake up at five or six in the morning to watch him play in England," Jun Kwon, a 19-year-old fan, told AFP.
"He's going to change things here. My father and I, who had no interest in MLS, are already won over."
He was wearing a gold and black LAFC jersey purchased Tuesday morning and printed with his idol's name.
In a decade with Spurs, Son scored 173 goals in 454 matches.
The winger confirmed his plans to leave Tottenham in Seoul last weekend after a final match with the Premier League club.
At LAFC, Son will replace French striker Olivier Giroud, who was sold to Lille in July, and will share a dressing room with French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, his former teammate at Tottenham. - AFP