Foreign player 'changes his mind', Song Lam Nghe An faces difficulties again.
Song Lam Nghe An's plan was to select foreign players who had previously competed in the V.League. However, that plan seems to be falling apart as the foreign players are successively changing their minds.
After the 2024-2025 season concludes,Lam River, Nghe AnThere have been major changes to the squad, especially in the foreign player positions. Two players who had to leave Vinh Stadium were striker Benjamin Kuku and central defender Sebastian Zaracho. Neither met expectations in terms of performance, causing Song Lam Nghe An to face significant difficulties in the relegation battle. The management of the Nghe An team decided to retain only one foreign player: Michael Olaha – the Nigerian striker who has remained a crucial player in Song Lam Nghe An's attack for many seasons.
The decision to retain only Michael Olaha is considered a sensible one, because in a team with a limited budget like Song Lam Nghe An, every foreign player slot must be utilized to the fullest. The Nigerian striker is not only the main goalscorer but also the heart of the attack, providing support for the younger players in the squad.
However, parting ways with two foreign players means the Nghe An team must urgently search for three new names to complete their squad for the 2025-2026 season. The names rumored to be joining the team are all experienced V.League players: Washington Brandão, Joseph Onoja, and Gustavo Sant'Ana Santos. If they successfully recruit all three, Song Lam Nghe An will have a squad capable of competing at the highest level of Vietnamese football.
However, life is not always a dream. All three deals fell through one after another, completely disrupting the plans of the coaching staff and the team's management.
The first to decline was Joseph Onoja. The Nigerian midfielder was expected to join Song Lam Nghe An after his contract in Iraq ended. However, at the last minute, he decided to extend his contract with Naft Al-Basra SC, catching the Nghe An team off guard. With his physique, stamina, and strong tackling ability, Onoja was once expected to be a "sweeper" in the midfield – a crucial piece that Song Lam Nghe An was lacking.
Next up was Washington Brandão, a veteran striker who had played in the V.League for many years. Despite being highly regarded for his skills and experience, the deal quickly stalled due to financial issues. Song Lam Nghe An could not meet the Brazilian player's salary demands. Furthermore, Brandão's age (almost 35) also made the coaching staff hesitant to place long-term trust in him.
The most regrettable of the three names is...Gustavo Sant'Ana SantosThe Brazilian central defender was very close to joining Song Lam Nghe An. Many sources reported that he and Song Lam Nghe An had reached a verbal agreement, and were even just waiting for the contract signing date. However, at the last minute, Gustavo Santos changed his mind and joined SHB Da Nang, leaving the Nghe An team disappointed.
The failure to sign Gustavo Santos is seen as a major blow to Song Lam Nghe An's ambitions of building a solid defense for next season. More than anyone else, the coaching staff had high hopes that the Brazilian center-back would become the "new leader," filling the void left by the domestic defenders. His last-minute backout means the team has to start over in the foreign player selection process.
Unable to recruit any players from their target list, Song Lam Nghe An is forced to change direction. Accordingly, it is highly likely that the team from Nghe An will continue to pursue brand-new foreign players who have never played in the V.League. This is a risky move, because if these players do not meet expectations, the team will end up "wasting money," similar to some recent cases.
However, this option is also unavoidable given that Song Lam Nghe An is not a financially strong team. Unable to compete with the big clubs in the V.League in terms of player salaries, the team from Nghe An is forced to find its own path, hoping for "raw talents" or low-cost but highly effective deals.
While the transfer market is bustling, Song Lam Nghe An is in a passive position. This has inadvertently slowed down preparations for the new season. With less than a month until the official start of the V.League 2025-2026 season, the team based in Vinh is racing against time to finalize its squad.
V.LeagueNext season is predicted to be extremely fierce with the return of SHB Da Nang, the rise of newcomer Ninh Binh Club, and the increasing investment from major teams. If Song Lam Nghe An does not stabilize its squad soon, especially in the foreign player positions, it will face many difficulties in achieving its goal of avoiding relegation and, further, competing for a mid-table position.
