MLS transfer record: LAFC could pay biggest fee in league history with Son Heung-min capture

The presence of Major League Soccer in the global transfer market has increased exponentially in recent years.

While MLS is often criticized for being a "retirement league" that looks to bring on aging superstars to increase its profile, the league has pushed hard to be a player for prime-age players that can contribute at a high level. Often, it takes sizable sums of money to convince those players to join, and convince their clubs to part ways.

In the past few seasons, MLS clubs have continued to bring in major superstars, but there has also been a huge increase in financial expenditures as well to acquire top-tier talent that has fallen through the cracks in Europe and South America. Additionally, the league has spent significant funds on acquiring young talent that can blossom in the U.S. league and then be sold for profit.

Still, the biggest money is in the most high-profile players, and that is evident as LAFC look to potentially smash the league's transfer record to acquire a global superstar.

The Sporting News details the most expensive players in MLS history, and where Son Heung-min ranks now that his move from Tottenham Hotspur is completed.

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MLS record transfer fees for incoming players

With his much-anticipated move from Tottenham Hotspur to LAFC, South Korean star Son Heung-min has broken the MLS transfer record. According to ESPN, his move is worth a whopping $26 million, beating the old record by a sizable margin.

Prior to his summer 2025 move, the biggest fee paid for an incoming player by an MLS club was the reported $24.7 million fee Atlanta United paid for striker Emmanuel Latte Lath before the start of the season. Latte Lath and fellow big signing Aleksey Miranchuk were meant to replace the departed Thiago Almada, who himself was for a time the league's record arrival.

In fact, Atlanta United have paid five of the 10 biggest transfer fees in league history, as the club which joined MLS in 2017 has been major players in the transfer market.

Fascinatingly, neither the LA Galaxy nor LAFC appeared on the list prior to Son's arrival, despite those two clubs being traditionally known as superstar havens throughout the history of the league. Major superstar signings across MLS, such as Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Olivier Giroud, often arrive via free transfers, as U.S. clubs otherwise would be unable to pay the enormous required fees for such players.

The biggest-ever inter-MLS transfer fee paid was the $13.3 million FC Cincinnati shelled out for Portland Timbers star Evander before the start of 2025. MLS has only recently created a system for cash payments of players between clubs within the league, whereas previously MLS players could only be acquired by other clubs via trades involving other players or the artificial currency known as GAM and TAM.

Figures via Transfermarkt, current as of August 3, 2025.

Son Heung-min breaks MLS transfer record in LAFC move

The arrival of Tottenham star Son Heung-min for a Major League Soccer record fee marks a significant shift in the league's power dynamics. While previously the league was happy to secure its biggest stars on free transfers to avoid paying large transfer fees, this move indicates a willingness to pay for top stars.

ESPN reports that Son's deal will eclipse $26 million, which tracks with the reporting of MLS transfer guru Tom Bogert before the deal. Bogert said the fee would be in the $20-26 million range, placing his standing amongst the top league transfers in question, but in the end LAFC shelled out the dough at the top end of the range.

The deal eclipses the $22 million Atlanta United paid for Emmanuel Latte Lath earlier in the year by a sizable margin.

The gap in transfer values makes add-ons irrelevant. Latte Lath's $22 million base fee could eventually grow larger due to the presence of unspecified add-ons, but Son's deal is also likely to include such triggers which could increase his eventual mark as well.

MLS record transfer fees for outgoing players

The biggest-ever sale in MLS history was the $34 million Aston Villa shelled out for Chicago Fire striker Jhon Duran. The Premier League club would manage to flip Duran for a big profit when he moved to the Saudi Pro League not long later.

For all their big transfer fees paid to bring on players, Atlanta United have done well to secure major profits as well. Their sales of Thiago Almada and Miguel Almiron are amongst the biggest fees acquired by the league, while striker Ricardo Pepi is the biggest U.S. international sold by an MLS club.