Top striker Le Cong Vinh has made the headlines today after turning down a pre-arranged agreement to sign for Ha Noi T&T and instead becoming a Hoa Phat Ha Noi player.
HA NOI –
The Nghe An Province-born player had agreed a three-year contract with T&T after his old contract expired on Sunday.
The two sides were due to make it official today before the national three-time Golden Ball winner denied everything and announced his new destination.
"I see his thirst for glory and I want to win another V-League title with a different team. I want to play in a new environment and with different players," Vinh said after his talk with Nguyen Duc Kien, chairman of Hoa Phat Ha Noi in HCM City yesterday.
Vinh, 26, triumphed with T&T in 2010 but failed to help his team defend the title the next year.
"The second reason is that I will be playing up front with Nigerian striker Timothy, with great support from midfielder Pham Thanh Luong. I believe I will score a lot more goals.
"I was also strongly influenced by team coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh who trained me when I was with Song Lam Nghe An. He encouraged me to come to Kien's club," Vinh said.
Luong is also due to sign for the club from relegated Ha Noi ACB, with Kien saying he would be a key element to for the team in the coming years.
The details of the three-year contract have not been released, but rumours say that it is in the region of VND15 billion (US$720,000), a figure Kien had previously stated he thought Vinh was worth. If true, it would be a Vietnamese transfer record.
The signing ceremony will be held next week when Vinh returns to Ha Noi. -- VNS