Gangneung: Luong Xuan Truong made history as the first Vietnamese to play in Korea Republic’s top flight after he joined newly promoted Gangwon FC.
The 21-year-old midfielder signed up with Gangwon on loan from Incheon United, where he played only in four matches and spent most of the season with the reserves. Formerly he was with Vietnamese side Hoang Ang Gia Lai (HAGL) and was also captain of Vietnam's U-19 squad.
Truong expressed his aspirations to make his mark in the K League Classic and aimed to help his new club reach the continent’s flagship club competition, the AFC Champions League.
“I want to become a recognisable player in the K League,” Truong said. “I also want to help Gangwon earn their spot in the AFC Champions League.”
The club said in their media release: "Truong is a proven star footballer in Southeast Asia. We actually tried to sign him this summer but failed to draw his interest back then because we were in the second-tier K League Challenge."
Luong is a product of HAGL’s academy and in 2015 made the senior team while current Gangwon head coach Choi Yun-kyum was at HAGL's helm from 2011 to 2014.
“I'd never imagined that I'd coach Truong in the K League,” Choi said. “I will give Truong plenty of opportunities if he shows good performances in training.”
Gangwon earned their spot in the top flight after finishing fourth in the K League Challenge and winning a promotion play-off against Seongnam FC in November.
Photo: AFP
Source: the-afc.com