HA NOI — Le Quoc Vuong has signed a three-year contract with Second Division team Xuan Thanh Cement Ha Tinh, head coach Nguyen Van Sy said yesterday.

Ha Tinh paid a transfer fee of VND5 billion (US$260,000) to sign Vuong for three years. The contract can be extended for another two years.

The team earlier announced that it planned to spend around VND20 billion ($1 million) on new players in order to win promotion this year.

In the last three years, Vuong has played for V-League sides Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Song Lam Nghe An. He also won the Bronze Ball award in 2003.

The midfielder, who received a seven-year ban for his part in a match-fixing scandal at the Philippines Southeast Asian Games in 2005, moved to The Cong (Army team) in 2009 but played only one game in the national championship due to an injured ankle.

"I want to play with a small team. It will hopefully allow me to regain my form. I am just 70 per cent at the moment," Vuong said.

"I hope to return to the national team someday. I promise I will do everything to reach my best.

The team coach said he was confident the Second Division team would eventually win promotion to the V-League.

"Hopefully the team will rise in the division. However, we need to hire top players if we are ever to fulfil our goal of making it into the V-League in two or three years," Sy said in a phone interview.

"Vuong will play a key role in the squad and hopefully help the team win the title and be promoted to the First Division. It's a challenge for the team, but we should do our best in every game," he said.

Earlier this year, the team signed seven players: Tan Thinh, Doan Hoang Son, Thanh Tung, Ha Duc and Thanh Dung from Thanh Hoa and Nghe An to strengthen the 20-member squad. — VNS