Nhu Thanh, Viet Thang, Thanh Binh, Lee Nguyen and Cong Vinh are not new discoveries but they are expected to make a big impression on the V-League 2010.

Viet Thang (left) and Cong Vinh.

Meanwhile, the most notable transfers are the move of Dong Tam Long An club’s Viet Thang and Binh Duong club’s Nhu Thanh to Ninh Binh club.

It was rumoured that Ninh Binh bought Viet Thang at a price of 6-7 billion dong and they paid 8.5 billion dong to get Nhu Thanh. However, the real prices are believed to be significantly lower.

Striker Viet Thang and midfielder Nhu Thanh are seen as major talents and many clubs want to have them but Ninh Binh won the race for his signature. Ninh Binh will pay the two new comers the highest salary for Vietnamese stars (40-50 million dong/month).

Nhu Thanh joined Binh Duong club in 2007, after he finished his 5-year suspension for involving in a match fixing scandal at the JVC Cup 2003. This midfielder quickly proved his value through building a steel wall for Binh Duong’s defence. He contributed to Binh Duong’s V-League championship for two consecutive years and to Vietnam’s VFF Cup 2008 Championship. Thanh is now the top midfielder of Vietnam.

Striker Viet Thang was also supported by Dong Tam Long An during his three-year suspension for being involving in a scandal at the Asian club championship in 2003 when he played for Hoang Anh Gia Lai. In 2006, Thang returned and joined Dong Tam Long An and greatly contributed to the club’s two V-League championships.

In the national squad, along with Cong Vinh, Viet Thang is a must-have striker. Ninh Binh believes that Thang’s presence will make its attack sharper.

Thanh Binh (right) and Dong Tam Long Anh’s chairman.

After losing Viet Thang, Dong Tam has quickly recruited Phan Thanh Binh, also a national squad’s member. After a bad year at Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Dong Tam Long An bought this former star to replace Viet Thang.

Compared to Viet Thang, Thanh Binh is younger, at the age of 23. Thanh Binh is known for his presence in the national squad and his decisive goals for the team. However, he hasn’t always performed well at local clubs. However, Dong Tam Long An hopes to help him shine this year.

Cong Vinh is the great hope of T&T Hanoi in his second year with this club. After leaving Song Lam Nghe An for T&T Hanoi, Cong Vinh scored 14 goals for the new team, pulling the club up to fourth position at the V-League 2009.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai’s Lee Nguyen.

This year, T&T Hanoi aims to make the top three and Cong Vinh is their trump-card, especially after Vinh’s four-month training at a club in Portugal.

In his first year with Hoang Anh Gia Lai, American Vietnamese striker Lee Nguyen had nine goals. He nearly left the team after three months staying in the US but the striker has returned.

PV