Japanese club registers Vietnamese keeper for new season

The 28-year-old keeper will wear the number one jersey.

In introducing Lam on their website, Osaka mention his 188 cm height and 88 kg weight as well as his playing history for V. League clubs like Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Hai Phong FC and Thai League club Muangthong United. They also include information about his international career, as Lam has represented the national U19 and U23 teams, and is now the main keeper for Vietnam’s national men’s team.

Also included in the list are two veteran goalkeepers, 34-year-old South Korean Kim Jin-hyeon and 36-year-old Japanese Kenya Matsui. Kim is currently the number one keeper for Osaka, having won the club’s jersey for a decade. Many believe that Lam is being considered a long-term replacement for Kim.

Osaka has registered 10 defenders, 10 attackers and nine midfielders for the new season. Lam is one of their four foreign players, the others being Brazilian center-back duo Tiago Pagnussat and Dankler Pereira, and Australia national team striker Adam Taggart. The club’s head coach is Brazilian Levir Culpi, who has managed many clubs in Brazil, including Santos and Fluminense.

The J1 League club has installed a locker room for Lam with his name on it. The 28-year-old is set to fly to Japan at the end of this month. He is currently training in Thailand.

Lam garnered media attention recently when he decided to end his contract with Muangthong United and move to Osaka. Muangthong has reported him to FIFA for contract violation, but Lam’s agent said the player has every right to terminate the contract since the Thai club cut his pay without telling him.

Osaka will play its first game of J1 League 2021 against Kashiwa Reysol on February 27.