Do Nguyen Thanh Chung, also known as Chung Do, is under contract with Slavia Sofia until the end of the 2025-2026 season. He has no intention of renewing his contract, so the club put him on the transfer list to avoid losing him for free.

Ninh Binh FC entered negotiations and agreed on a purchase price of around 10 billion VND. This figure is lower than the valuation of 470,000 USD, equivalent to 12.3 billion VND, on the transfer information site Transfermakt.

Overseas Vietnamese midfielder Do Nguyen Thanh Chung (Chung Do) with his official jersey at Ninh Binh FC, at Aleksandar Shalamanov Stadium, Bulgaria of Slavia Sofia on 27/7. Photo: Ninh Binh FC

Overseas Vietnamese midfielder Do Nguyen Thanh Chung (Chung Do) with his official jersey at Ninh Binh FC, at Aleksandar Shalamanov Stadium, Bulgaria of Slavia Sofia on 27/7. Photo: Ninh Binh FC

The two sides signed a 5-year contract, with an option to extend for a further 3 years. In an exchange with VnExpress, a Ninh Binh FC representative said the player's annual salary will gradually increase depending on his contribution, but is much lower than the 12 billion VND figure being circulated.

"We consider Chung a bright young talent," the source said. "The price to buy the remaining year of this player's contract is reasonable, as breaking a contract with a talented young player in Vietnam now also costs more than 10 billion VND."

Meanwhile, Slavia Sofia said they share a common vision with Ninh Binh FC for developing young football and building a sustainable partnership. Ninh Binh presented a long-term project consistent with Slavia's values and goals of providing real opportunities for young players.

"One of the main motivations behind this transfer is Ninh Binh's desire to bring Chung back to his homeland, for his future contributions to the development of Vietnamese football," Slavia Sofia's announcement stated. "We believe this is an important step in the player's career path and personal development."

Born in 2005, Chung's parents are Vietnamese, but he was born in Bulgaria. He is considered a promising box-to-box midfielder in Bulgaria – a football nation currently ranked 84th by FIFA. Chung has played for the Bulgaria U17, U19, and U21 teams, participating in the U17 Euro 2022 finals and the U19 Euro 2023 qualifiers.

At Slavia Sofia, Chung has played for the first team since the 2022-2023 season. Before moving to Ninh Binh, he played 46 matches in the Bulgarian National Championship, with 2,555 minutes and one goal.

Do Nguyen Thanh Chung (white shirt) playing for Slavia Sofia in the Bulgarian National Championship in 2023. Photo: Slavia Sofia

Do Nguyen Thanh Chung (white shirt) playing for Slavia Sofia in the Bulgarian National Championship in 2023. Photo: Slavia Sofia

In a 2023 statement to Bulgarian media, Chung shared his desire to focus on earning a spot on the Bulgarian national team for major tournaments, then move to stronger football leagues. Therefore, his decision to return to Vietnam surprised many. Some sources suggest Chung perceived issues within the Bulgarian football environment, prompting him to choose a different path.

Ninh Binh FC confirmed that Chung has a Vietnamese passport. Despite having played for the Bulgaria U21 team, he remains eligible to play for the Vietnamese national teams. However, the parties involved need to complete some procedures with FIFA, including transferring the player's governing football federation from Bulgaria to Vietnam.

Chung is Ninh Binh's second notable signing before the 2025-2026 season. Previously, the V-League newcomer spent at least 18 billion VND in signing-on fees for Nguyen Duc Chien from The Cong, and 12 billion VND for Chau Ngoc Quang from HAGL.

Four foreign players have been signed: Janclesio, Gustavo Henrique (Brazil), defender Alfredo Pedraza, and Victor Morales (Spain). They are also expected to sign Geovane Magno from Ha Tinh to fill the slot for a naturalized player without Vietnamese heritage.

Ninh Binh FC's coaching staff is also entrusted to Spaniards, with head coach Gerard Albadalejo and 5 fellow countrymen as assistant coach, fitness coach, goalkeeper coach, performance analyst, and recovery specialist.

Hieu Luong