LAFC has been energized by Son, but clever transfer window additions could make the difference in MLS postseason
You can hear Son Heung-Min’s laugh from a room over. At least, that’s what Mathieu Choiniere claims. Walk into the LAFC training ground, get your reps in at the gym, listen for long enough, and you will hear that chuckle bouncing around the room.
It is, these days, a fundamental part of the LAFC experience. This club will forever be associated with Son, not only for his hot start on the pitch, but also for the pedigree that comes with him. He carries the weight of a nation on his shoulders every time he puts an LAFC jersey on.
And it’s something he has embraced in full – that much is clear in his laughs, grins, and constant media appearances alone.
But while Son has grabbed the headlines for his transfer fee and fine goal catalogue, there are plenty of others who have set this all up. LAFC may have made headlines when they shattered the MLS transfer record to bring in Son. But three other shrewd summer additions might be just as important – if only because of the way they have complemented Son, and allowed this team to function as a unit.
That trio – Ryan Porteous, Choiniere and Andrew Moran – have all played their part. And if LAFC are to push for MLS Cup this winter in Steve Cherundolo’s final playoff push, then it will be as much down to the supporting cast as the big name.
“I don’t know where we can go. But this club has been going for everything, for every trophy, for every competition, every single time. That won’t change,” Choiniere said.
Getty Images Sport'What pieces do we need?'
Just 10 games in, things were looking bleak in Los Angeles. The front office, usually so shrewd, had pieced together an unbalanced team. Olivier Giroud, a France legend and World Cup winning striker, was an expensive misfit up front. The rest of the side wasn’t quite firing around him. The Black and Gold, perennial cup contenders, sat in eighth.
Something had to change. And it did over the ensuing months. Giroud departed. The groundwork was laid for Son, who was ready to leave Spurs after a decade in North London. But things needed rounding out, too. Los Angeles had a main man in attack to pair with Denis Bouanga.
But they also needed help in midfield, solidity in the back, and, ideally, an extra creative presence in the final third. In Porteous, Choiniere and Moran, they found all three – at minimal cost.
“When you are looking at how things come together in complementary pieces and what have you, then you look on the field and you say, ‘OK, how will Sonny be utilized, and what pieces do we need around him to make the team better?’” LAFC GM John Thorrington said.
AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Better late than never'
It was a precarious spot for Cherundolo. The manager had announced in April that he planned to leave the club at the end of the campaign and return to Germany. A few eyebrows were raised when LAFC agreed to retain him for the entire season. In effect, they had a lame duck coach – and one that wasn’t getting the requisite results out of the team.
Some clubs would have stayed in stasis. Others would have removed the manager. LAFC, meanwhile, decided to go big.
“It's really important. If you asked me, if I had a choice, will we have a finished roster in the beginning of season or by the first of October? I would prefer the first of March,” Cherundolo said. “But better late than never, and finishing the season strong in our league is obviously more beneficial than starting strong.”
Communication with the front office was vital in the effort, Cherundolo said. At one point, he found himself short on options, dealing with multiple competitions, and pushing his players to the limit. These days, things are different.
“John and I talk all the time. He’s more than welcome to give me problems as far as choosing the roster and lineups every week. I like those problems,” Cherundolo said.
Getty Images Sport'It was a no-brainer'
Porteous had his choices. The Scottish centerback – who had 13 caps for his national team – was frozen out at Championship side Watford. A loan to Preston yielded some success, but he was told by the club that he could leave if the right offer came in. And with two full seasons still left on his contract, there were options.
“I had offers elsewhere in the Championship, offers to go back to Scotland, other places abroad,” Porteous said.
But a few messages with other players in America, MLS and the direction of the league convinced him to make a move to the West Coast. The front office’s pitch – that he would be a crucial part of a team looking to make a run – sealed the deal.
“As soon as I had the conversations with the manager, the sporting directors, it was a no-brainer, because everything kind of aligned as in terms of the player they wanted to bring in, and the environment and the atmosphere that I wanted to join,” Porteous said.
He could sense the vibe as soon as he walked into the locker room. There was a real intent here. Change was already afoot. Son’s arrival – announced three days after Porteous’ signature – was no secret by that point.
“I was coming into a team that maybe had a stumbling block in the mid part of the season and just needed a little pick me up in terms of the recruitment,” Porteous said. "I think the people that they've brought in have added that energy.”
“Energetic” is one way of describing the Scotsman. He immediately established himself as a hard-nosed presence at the back – a leader who can play across multiple different positions, and also add a much-needed bite. It’s been there for as long as he can remember, Porteous admitted. He cut his teeth in the lower leagues of Scottish football, and then grew into the game in the physicality of the English Championship.
“If anybody met me on the field, they wouldn't like me. But I'd like to think anybody that knows me off it as a completely different person,” Porteous admitted. “But it’s always been that way.”
Cherundolo has repeatedly said that his aggression is key. Porteous has established himself as LAFC’s preferred right center back – and played every minute since his first start. And with Aaron Long out long term with an Achilles injury, his presence is vital.
IMAGN'I needed something else'
Choiniere had been in and out of MLS before. The Canadian came through the Montreal academy system, and was a two-time All-Star before being sold to Swiss Super League side Grasshopper in August 2024. His time in Switzerland was mixed. He made 17 appearances for the club, but was looking for a way out.
“I needed something else. I wanted a new challenge,” he told GOAL. “I was training well, but wasn’t getting the playing time I wanted in the system that I wanted.”
LAFC came calling. Porteous added bite. But they also needed some control. Choiniere fit the bill perfectly. Thorrington’s pitch was simple. He needed someone to hold things down in midfield – cover the spaces, move the ball, put out fires. LAFC had the attacking talent. Choiniere was going to be the connective tissue in the middle.
“It's been amazing since I arrived. The club made me feel like I'm home, and since the first day, I'm feeling like I'm in the right place,” he said.
And he has returned the faith put in him by the front office when they invested on a short-term loan. He established himself as a starter in the latter days of the season, and now figures to be a part of Cherundolo’s best XI, sitting in a midfield three and pulling the strings.
“I’m waking up every morning and I want to go to training. You go into the locker room, everybody’s laughing, everybody’s talking to everyone. It could be about anything,” Choiniere said.