J-League 1 Football Club Yokohama has signed a two-year contract with Vietnamese football star Nguyen Cong Phuong to play for the 2023 season, Yokohama announced on December 25.

The contract was signed after six-month negotiations between Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) that owns Cong Phuong and Yokohama FC.

The Vietnamese striker shared he was eager to make his debut for Yokohama FC, pledging to try all best to contribute to the success of the new football club.

Yokohama FC finished as runners-up in the J-League 2, enabling them to be promoted to the J-League 1 for the 2023 season.

Cong Phuong is among the players who graduated from the HAGL Arsenal JMG Academy, a renowned academy which received investment by Vietnamese businessman Doan Nguyen Duc.

The local star has been a key player for HAGL, whilst he also played a key for the Vietnamese U23 team that finished as runners-up in the AFC U23 Championship 2018, as well as with the national senior team that won the AFF Cup 2018.

The striker has prior experience abroad, having played for Japanese club Mito Hollyhock in 2016, the Republic of Korea’s Incheon United FC in 2019, and Belgium’s Sint Truiden FC in the 2019 - 2020 season.