HÀ NỘI — The U19 national team’s Đoàn Văn Hậu has been promoted by Hà Nội T&T to play for the club’s top team in the coming V.League season as well as the Asian Football Confederation Champions League.

He has the rare distinction of a U17 player leapfrogging over the U19 and U21 squads to join Hà Nôi T&T’s first team.

Defender Hậu was one of stars of the U19 squad which secured a berth for the U20 World Cup in South Korea next year.

His performance in the Bahrain tournament earned rave reviews from AFC, and he was selected as one of eight players to watch during the tournament’s semi-finals last Sunday.

U19 coach Hoàng Anh Tuấn has described Hậu as a hard-working player with “comprehensive” skills along who is physically strong, competitive and has a quick mind.

He believes that if Hậu receives proper care and attention, he can be a leading left winger in the near future, even playing in Europe.

Tuấn said it was good news that Hà Nội T&T has selected him to play in the V.League and also other tournaments. Although Hậu is a defender, he is an attacking player capable of scoring goals, the coach said.

Hậu, a native of Thái Bình Province, scored a goal in Việt Nam’s 2-1 win over North Korea at the Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Bahrain.

“Hậu is the best player of this age in my team. He is skilled and has a perfect left foot. At this young age, he already has a professional awareness. He is the future of Vietnamese football,” said Hà Nội T&T coach Vũ Hồng Việt.

Hà Nội T&T ended the 2016 season as V. League champions and won the silver medal at the National Cup. — VNS