Football Tribe SEA Editor
Muangthong United are in the hunt for a new player from Vietnam, and reportedly have their eyes on either Hanoi FC’s Do Hung Dung or Hoang Anh Gia Lai’s Nguyen Tuan Anh.
The four-time Thai League champions are looking for a new option in defensive midfield, and their month-long hunt for an AFC Quota player in that position has, unfortunately, yielded no results.
Turning their attention to the regional market, the club have identified Vietnamese national team stars Do Hung Dung and Nguyen Tuan Anh as potential options in that role. Hung Dung would also represent a solid bit of business as his versatility allows him to play both as an anchor in midfield and in defense.
Muangthong already have Vietnamese national team goalkeeper Dang Van Lam between the sticks, who is set to begin his second season at the club. His presence has attracted a lot of interest in the Kirin’s fortunes from Vietnam, and could also help a potential new signing settle in at the club.
However, these rumors should be taken with a grain of salt. The club has pursued other notable Vietnamese internationals over the last couple of seasons, including Doan Van Hau and Que Ngoc Hai, and have been unsuccessful in both attempts. Additionally, HAGL’s chairman has already announced that the club has no intention of allowing Tuan Anh to make a move to the Thai League.
This leaves Muangthong in a difficult position ahead of the start of the season, still looking for a player to fill their AFC Quota. It is highly likely that the club has already decided to register Filipino-Australian right-back Jesse Curran in that slot, meaning that they only have a single ASEAN quota left to cover the remaining gaps in the squad before the start of the season.
Muangthong kick off their Thai League campaign on Saturday, February 15th, against BG Pathum United.
