VietNamNet Bridge – The 28-year-old striker Le Cong Vinh has decided to stay with the Song Lam Nghe An (SLNA) FC instead of going to Japan after a meeting with SLNA’s officials last week.

SLNA Football JSC’s director – Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh said: "Vinh has agreed to continue playing for the hometown team. We highly appreciate Vinh’s decision, especially when the club is facing a lot of difficulties and the Japanese FC’s offer is quite attractive."

Thanh revealed that the Japanese second division FC - ConsadoleSapporo offered up to $240,000 to buy Cong Vinh for one year but Cong Vinh decided to play for SLNA – his hometown team.

Cong Vinh repeatedly asserted that SLNA gave him a lot and he needed to repay the team. Vinh also said that he would only leave if the team wanted it. In this case, Vinh gave the right of making decision to SLNA and the team was eager to keep the striker.

With this decision, Cong Vinh will lose the opportunity to play football in a professional environment and SLNA will not have $240,000 in a season of financial difficulties.

Thanh confirmed that the FC’s funding for the next season would be very limited but the team would not sell Cong Vinh. He said Vinh is now invaluable for SLNA. The team needs Vinh to support its young players after many pillars such as Trong Hoang, Van Binh and Van Hoan ... left the team at the end of the last season.

Cong Vinh will be the captain and his salary will be increased in the coming season. If the team has more funding, it will pay Vinh more to compensate him. If Vinh joins Consadole Sapporo, he will be paid $10,000 per month, not including bonus for each score and each match.

Nam Nguyen