Striker Nguyễn Công Phượng (No 10) will play for HCM City. — Photo thethao247.vn

HÀ NỘI — V.League 1 side HCM City have reached a deal to bring home striker Nguyễn Công Phượng from Sint-Truidense of Belgium.

The runners-up of the national premier league have bought the remaining half of a one-year loan deal signed in July between Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) FC and Sint-Truidense.

“HCM City have signed Phượng. HAGL weren’t involved in the transaction between HCM City and Sint-Truidense,” HAGL Chairman Đoàn Nguyên Đức told Thanh Niên (Youth) newspaper.

“I congratulate HCM City and Phượng. I believe that with Phượng, Thống Nhất Stadium (the home of HCM City) will be packed because Phượng is a special player,” said Đức.

To secure Phượng's services for the first half of 2020, HCM City paid the the Belgian club more than US$100,000.

Phượng will sign his contract with HCM City on December 29.

The striker has also briefly played for Japanese side Mito Hollyhock on loan in 2016 and had a one-year loan deal with South Korean side Incheon United FC ended by mutual consent.

Wearing HAGL jersey in the national top flight league, Phượng scored six goals in 2015. In 2017, he chalked up seven goals, and that rose to 12 in 2018, making him the top scorer in the domestic league.

HCM City are expected to shine next year having agreed contracts with other rising footballers including midfielder Võ Huy Toàn of Đà Nẵng, striker Nguyễn Xuân Nam of Phố Hiến, defenders Lê Văn Sơn and Lê Đức Lương of Hoàng Anh Gia Lai, and goalie Bùi Tiến Dũng of Hà Nội FC. They have also been linked with former Liverpool player David Ngog.

Next year, HCM City will compete in the AFC Champions League, V.League 1 and the National Cup. — VNS