In addition to the fear of relegation, SLNA faces the problem of retaining 15 players.

After the 2019 season, Nguyen Manh, Khac Ngoc, Dinh Hoang, Ngoc Toan and many other players leftSLNAhas caused SLNA's coaching staff to face many difficulties in preparing for the 2020 season. Up to 8 young players were promoted to the first team, most of whom were able to play such as Thai Ba Sang, Mai Sy Hoang, Dang Van Lam, Nguyen Van Viet, Tran Dinh Tien...

ArriveV.League 2021, SLNA has almost no changes in its squad, except for Quang Tinh retiring and Ho Tuan Tai joining Ho Chi Minh City Club. The Nghe An team sent two young players Tran Ngoc Anh and Le Thanh Lam to Dak Lak on loan. At the same time, they promoted two young U21 players, Tran Manh Quynh and Nguyen Xuan Binh.

Currently, SLNA's situation is not better than last season's results. Coach Ngo Quang Truong and his team are ranked 11th with 10 points, only 1 point away from the bottom team HL Ha Tinh and the risk of relegation is not small.

Phan Van Duc and the players born in 1996 and 1993 may leave at the end of the 2021 season. Photo: Duc Anh

However, SLNA also has to face another cyclical problem of retaining players. Specifically, a total of 15 SLNA players will have their contracts with their hometown team expire at the end of 2021.

Among them, we must mention the promising players born in 1996 such as: Phan Van Duc, Pham Xuan Manh, Bui Dinh Chau. These players are reaching the peak of their careers, reaching the age of 25 and are currently being sought after by many teams.

Players whose contracts are about to expire include goalkeeper Nguyen Van Hoang and veteran Tran Dinh Dong. These two players signed a 1-year contract after the end of V.League 2020. This list also includes goalkeeper Tran Van Tien, Vo Ngoc Duc, players born in 1993 such as Cao Xuan Thang, Ho Sy Sam, Nguyen Sy Nam.

Along with 3 foreign players signing annual contracts, SLNA currently only has a few players like the captain.Hoang Van KhanhJust signed a 3-year contract, the 1999-born players and other young players just promoted do not need to negotiate to keep them.

SLNA's best players like Nguyen Manh and Khac Ngoc are currently playing for other clubs. Photo: Duc Anh

Every year, SLNA has to face the paradox of struggling to retain the key players they have trained. FIFA rules stipulate that players aged 25 are free to leave and every year this is a difficult problem for the Nghe An team. If players Phan Van Duc and Pham Xuan Manh leave, SLNA's strength will be reduced by half.

Since 2015, SLNA has said goodbye to many players, national team players and even those who have worn the captain's armband for many years, such as Hoang Thinh, Trong Hoang, Ngoc Hai, Khac Ngoc, Nguyen Manh, Ngoc Toan, Ho Tuan Tai, Tran Phi Son... The point is that they all have the right to leave as free agents and SLNA cannot collect transfer fees from those contracts.

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