The forward about to be naturalized causes a big surprise with a new destination in the V.League.

Forward Michael Olaha has reached an agreement to join CLB Công an TP.HCM, and is also getting closer to the opportunity to obtain Vietnamese citizenship in the near future.

CLB Công an TP.HCM is showing great ambition ahead of the 2026/27 season as they prepare to recruit another quality foreign player from the V.League. According to multiple sources, forward Michael Olaha has reached an agreement to join the police team after deciding to leave Sông Lam Nghệ An, ending his long journey with the Nghe An club.

Michael Olaha is no stranger to Vietnamese football fans. The Nigerian striker previously had two spells with Sông Lam Nghệ An and is considered one of the most successful foreign players in the club's history. During his first stint from 2017 to 2019, Olaha scored 8 goals and provided 7 assists before moving to Israel to play. However, the 1997-born forward later returned to Vinh Stadium and continued to become an irreplaceable pillar of the team.

Since 2022, Michael Olaha has always played a leading role in the attack of Sông Lam Nghệ An. Not only does he possess a consistent scoring ability, but he also contributes greatly to the overall play thanks to his mobility and experience in the V.League. His statistics of 39 goals and 19 assists during his return period are clear evidence of his influence. Besides his professional skills, Olaha has also been trusted by the coaching staff to wear the captain's armband.

Sông Lam Nghệ An's impending change of ownership after this season is believed to be one of the key reasons behind Michael Olaha's decision to leave. In that context, CLB Công an TP.HCM quickly stepped in and successfully convinced the Nigerian striker to join the team in order to strengthen their squad depth for the new season.

Notably, Michael Olaha now also meets the conditions to apply for Vietnamese citizenship. The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) is reportedly taking steps to ask relevant authorities to assist in completing the procedures for this player. If he officially becomes a Vietnamese citizen, Olaha could well be part of head coach Kim Sang-sik's personnel plans for the national team in the near future.

Currently, the South Korean tactician has already used two naturalized players, Nguyễn Xuân Son and Đỗ Hoàng Hên, in friendlies as well as the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Besides Michael Olaha, names such as Nguyễn Tài Lộc (Geovane Magno) and Đỗ Phi Long (Gustavo Santos) are also expected to strengthen the Vietnamese national team in the coming period. This shows that the trend of utilizing naturalized players is increasingly being emphasized in Vietnamese football as it pursues major goals at the regional and continental levels.