Norwegian midfielder leaves V-League to join Chinese club

Following his departure from Thep Xanh Nam Dinh halfway through the season, Kristoffer Normann transferred to Dalian Concheng in China's League One.

Kristoffer Normann officially ended his brief spell at Thep Xanh Nam Dinh to move on to compete in China League One. Less than a month after leaving the Nam Dinh team on January 21, the Norwegian midfielder reached an agreement to join Dalian Concheng, marking a new chapter in his career.

Joining Nam Dinh at the start of the 2025/2026 seasonNormann was expected to strengthen the midfield quality for the Thien Truong Stadium side in competitions like the AFC Champions League Two and the ASEAN Club Championship. Born in 1994, he has represented Norway at U16, U17, and U21 levels and is considered a senior figure among Nordic stars such as Odegaard and Haaland.

Before coming to Vietnam, Normann played for Poland’s Jagiellonia Białystok and helped the team reach the quarterfinals of last season’s UEFA Europa Conference League. Standing 1.80 meters tall, right-footed, and valued at around 700,000 euros on Transfermarkt, he arrived in the V-League with high expectations.

However, his time at Nam Dinh did not meet those hopes. Normann was mainly used in cup competitions and was not registered for the V-League matches due to the club having many quality foreign players. After 7 appearances, he scored 1 goal and provided 2 assists before both parties agreed to part ways.

The move to Dalian Concheng in China League One is seen as a suitable choice given Normann’s need for a more stable playing environment. Although contract details remain undisclosed, the 32-year-old midfielder is expected to bring European experience and quality to his new team.

An interesting fact is that Normann’s wife is a Vietnamese-Norwegian, with both her parents being Vietnamese, creating a special connection between him and Vietnam. Nevertheless, his journey at Nam Dinh has ended, and now Kristoffer Normann will embark on a new challenge in China League One with ambitions to regain his professional form.