VietNamNet Bridge - Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh, Chairman of Song Lam Nghe An (SLNA) FC has confirmed that Vietnam’s top striker Le Cong Vinh will play for Japanese FC Consadole Sapporo from August 2013.

Le Cong Vinh (yellow).

Thanh said SLNA wanted to keep Vinh until the end of the season but the team respected Vinh’s personal aspirations and would facilitate him to play abroad.

The negotiation between Vinh and Consadole Sapporo FC began in late 2012. Thanh said the Japanese team’s representatives arrived in Hanoi this morning, July 22. The two sides will meet this afternoon in Vinh City.

Previously, Vinh and the Japanese FC agreed on basic terms, such as the monthly wage of $7,000 and the contract term of one year.

Currently, Vinh is borrowed by SLNA FC so the Japanese team has to negotiate with SLNA and to pay a sum of money to take this striker earlier.

Thanh said if Vinh leaves early, SLNA will face difficulty in the remaining time but the team will not raise difficulty for Vinh. Vinh’s position will be replaced by young players or by foreign player Willis Plaza. It is expected that the Japanese club will pay SLNA VND1 billion ($50,000) for taking Vinh 3-4 months earlier.

According to Thanh, Vinh can leave the team from August.

It is expected that the parties will hold a press conference at 16:00 this afternoon to announce the event.

Consadole Sapporo FC was founded in 1935 and currently plays in the Second Division in Japan.

The team won the following titles: All-Japan Championship 1977, the Second Division Championship in 1979 and 1988/89, the League Cup in 1981 under the name Toshiba Horikawa, the Japan League Cup 1997; the Second Division Championship in 2000 and 2007 under the name Consadole Sapporo.

Famous player Hulk (now a player of the Brazilian national team) and Maradona’s brother Hugo used to play for this team.

Nguyen Nam