Overseas Vietnamese Brandon Ly finds an unexpected destination after leaving CAHN

Following a season of few chances at CLB Cong An Ha Noi, Vietnamese-born midfielder Brandon Ly moves to Xuan Thien Phu Tho on a loan deal to find regular playing time and accumulate experience.

Overseas Vietnamese midfielder Brandon Ly has officially left CLB Cong An Ha Noi to join Xuan Thien Phu Tho under a one-year loan contract. The deal is expected to help the 2005-born player gain more regular playing opportunities after his first season at V.League, which was not truly successful.

Joining CAHN in the 2025/2026 season with high expectations, Brandon Ly was considered one of the notable overseas Vietnamese talents alongside Lee Williams and Tran Thanh Trung. However, unlike the other two who quickly made an impact in their new colors, Brandon Ly faced many difficulties in competing for a position. Throughout the season, he made only 3 appearances for a total of 27 minutes.

In order to create conditions for the young midfielder to accumulate experience and develop professionally, CAHN club decided to let Brandon Ly move to Xuan Thien Phu Tho on loan. This is seen as a reasonable step as the "Land of Ancestors" team is aiming to build a promising young squad for the new season.

In the official announcement, Xuan Thien Phu Tho expressed delight in successfully recruiting the player of Vietnamese-Irish descent. Brandon Ly was born on December 7, 2005, with a Vietnamese father and an Irish mother. He grew up in the English football environment, having played for the youth teams of Sheffield United, Hyde United, and notably U21 Burnley.

In the 2024/2025 season, Brandon Ly made 9 appearances for U21 Burnley, scoring 3 goals, including a strike against U21 Luton Town in the Premier League youth competition. Returning to Vietnam to play from last season helped this midfielder somewhat familiarize himself with the domestic football environment.

The move to Xuan Thien Phu Tho is expected to open up opportunities for Brandon Ly to play more, accumulate experience and assert his talent, before returning to compete for a starting spot in the colors of Cong An Ha Noi in the future.