Japanese clubs eyeing top Vietnamese footballers

A Japanese football reporter, who covered the Olympic qualifier in Vietnam said that numerous Japanese clubs were expressing an interest in Vietnam”s top striker, Le Cong Vinh, and are willing to pay him a monthly salary of US $10,000, reported the Vietnam News Agency.

The agency said that Takashi Morimoto, who works for the Weekly Football Digest, has met Cong Vinh and striker Nguyen Thanh Binh to sound them out for a move to Japan.

He said after the first leg of the 2008 Olympics football qualifying round against Vietnam, Japanese scouts were impressed by players like Thanh Binh, Vo Duy Nam, Mai Tien Thanh, especially Cong Vinh, who is currently thought to be Vietnam”s best footballer.

Many clubs have acquired tapes of recent Vietnam”s Asian Cup and Olympics games to take a closer look at Cong Vinh, Morimoto revealed.

Cong Vinh, 22, has twice been named Vietnam”s Player for the Year in 2004 and 2006 and has been nominated for the Asian Football Confederation”s 2007 Player of the Year along with teammate Nguyen Anh Duc.

Nhan Dan