Before the season ends, a V.League team faces the risk of squad disintegration.

Song Lam Nghe An Club is entering a period of significant upheaval as the threat of a "player drain" becomes increasingly evident, following the main sponsor Tan Long's official request to withdraw after the 2025/2026 season.

According to Nghe An newspaper, Tan Long Group has submitted a document to Nghe An province regarding the termination of sponsorship for SLNA starting from June 30, 2026. Amidst widespread economic challenges, businesses tightening investments in football has left the Vinh stadium-based club in a difficult position, particularly in securing financial resources to sustain operations.

The most immediate consequence is the risk of losing a series of key players, as many important SLNA players will have contracts expiring after the upcoming season. Names like Ngo Van Luong, Vuong Van Huy, Tran Manh Quynh, Nguyen Xuan Binh, Dang Quang Tu, and Ho Khac Luong are all core figures, serving as the "backbone" both technically and spiritually for the squad over recent years.

If they cannot retain this group of players, SLNA will face a large-scale squad restructuring. In that scenario, the team's stability and competitiveness will undoubtedly be severely impacted, especially in the increasingly fierce V.League which demands deep squad quality.

Despite being renowned for having one of Vietnam's top youth academies, SLNA still faces many difficulties in retaining its talents. Revenue from television rights, ticket sales, and commercial activities is insufficient to ensure competitive remuneration. This has led many young players, after maturing, to choose to leave in search of better opportunities.

Given this situation, the club's leadership is collaborating with coach Van Sy Son and the coaching staff to review the squad and identify the players who need to be retained. Simultaneously, the club is actively engaging directly with players to understand their aspirations and negotiate terms for new contracts.

However, the negotiation process has yet to reach the necessary consensus, leaving the future of many key players still uncertain. Without promptly finding solutions regarding finances and reasonable compensation policies, SLNA could very well enter the 2026/2027 season with a significantly weakened squad, thereby directly affecting its ambitions in domestic competitions.