Son Heung-min Set for MLS Debut in Bridgeview
LOS ANGELES — Son Heung-min is set to make his Major League Soccer debut tonight, and it will come against the Chicago Fire.
The Korean winger was officially cleared yesterday afternoon, receiving his P-1 visa ahead of today’s game. Son has traveled with the team to Chicago and will be available for selection in Bridgeview.
Historic Addition
The signing is a historic one for MLS, costing a league-record fee $26.5 million. As one of the greatest wingers in Premier League history, one can only imagine the impact Son will have in Los Angeles and, more broadly, the United States.
“LA has done a great job building their roster over the last years and have built a competitive team year after year,” Chicago Fire Head Coach Gregg Berhalter told media this Thursday. “[Son] has been at the highest level for a number of years, probably one of the most famous players from Asia in the history of the game. It’s a massive impact signing.”
The man behind the signing, LAFC General Manager and former Fire midfielder John Thorrington, called the signing one of the club’s most historic.
“Sonny is a world-class talent, a global icon of football and we’re thrilled that he has chosen to write the next chapter of his remarkable career with us here at LAFC,” Thorrington said. “Son’s arrival marks a new chapter, not just for LAFC, but for the league and for football in the United States. He brings not only incredible quality on the field, but a magnetic presence off of it, someone who inspires billions around the world and now will do so here in Los Angeles.”
Although it is difficult to pinpoint the impact the signing will have on the league, it is another example of MLS’s financial improvement and ability to attract top-tier talent. Players such as Son, Rodrigo De Paul, Wilfried Zaha, and the Fire’s Jonathan Bamba joining the league in the primes of their careers show how players perceive the growing level of the league.
Bridgeview Spectacle
The surprise Son news should bring further excitement to tonight’s match. Presumed right back starter Leo Barroso will gain a big responsibility containing LAFC’s loaded attack, but this was likely going to be the case regardless given Dénis Bouanga’s form this year on the left wing. Barroso has started five of the last eight games and has played the bulk of minutes when available despite his young age.
LAFC’s shape and attacking setup factoring in the newly acquired winger remains a mystery, so, assuming he makes his debut, Fire fans will get the first look at what the Black and Gold decide to do with Bouanga’s position and if Son will remain on the left, or if he will be moved to the middle as a possible false-nine or attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1.
The last time the Men in Red conceded was just over 3 weeks ago on July 16th, in a 2-2 draw against Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz. Tonight’s game will be played at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. Central Time.
