Ninh Bình is confident about becoming a major powerhouse in the V-League.

Even before the 2026/27 season kicks off, Ninh Bình FC has shown unmistakable intent with aggressive transfer activity. Following a notable performance in the latter part of the 2025/26 season under Chu Đình Nghiêm's guidance, the V-League third-place team is now embarking on a full-scale transformation aimed at achieving major success in the upcoming season.

With a squad that has been substantially invested in, impressive squad depth, and a highly experienced tactician at the helm,Ninh Bìnhcould undoubtedly surpass their top-three finish from the 2025/26 V-League season.

The most notable highlight is the arrival of Marciel Silva. The Brazilian midfielder has already proven his class while playing forHAGLlast season, becoming the heartbeat of the midfield with his ball control, precise passing, and ability to dictate the tempo of the game.

Marciel isn't the type of player who dazzles with flair, but he is extremely intelligent in his decision-making, reading of the game, and ability to strike a balance between defense and attack. He is the kind of midfielder any coach would want to build a playing style around.

When paired with captain Hoàng Đức, Ninh Bình will boast one of the best central midfield duos in the V-League. Together, they are expected to allow Ninh Bình's midfield to control the game against most opponents.

Beyond Hoàng Đức and Marciel, coach Chu Đình Nghiêm also has a richly stocked midfield featuring names like Thành Trung, Văn Thuận, Quang Nho, and Tài Lộc. Each brings unique strengths, from physical battling ability to expansive work rate.

This gives the coaching staff plenty of rotation options as the team faces a busy schedule across multiple competitions in the new season.

In defense, Hồ Tấn Tàiis a highly anticipated signing. The former national team player can perform well at right-back or as a right-sided center-back in a three-man defensive line. Hồ Tấn Tài's versatility will offer coach Chu Đình Nghiêm various tactical options. National team defenders like goalkeeper Văn Lâm and center-back Ngọc Bảo also provide additional reassurance for coach Nghiêm.

Up front, Lucao is expected to solve the goal-scoring puzzle alongside Friday. The former V-League top scorer has already proven his finishing ability while playing for Hải Phòng and Thể Công Viettel. Moreover, the acquisition of Brazilian center-back Lucas Turki shows Ninh Bình's intention to significantly reinforce their defense with a player who has good physicality and aerial prowess.

Another notable decision by coach Chu Đình Nghiêm is to keep only Fred Friday from the four foreign players of last season, while parting ways with Gustavo Henrique, Daniel Dos Anjos, and Patrick Marcelino.

In addition to aggressive buying, Ninh Bình has welcomed back 16 players from loan spells. Although not all of them will compete for starting spots, this is still a vital resource that deepens the squad. Ngọc Mỹ is highly rated, along with existing attacking options likeGia Hưng, Quốc Việt, Tài Lộc...

More importantly, the 2026/27 season will be the first timecoach Chu Đình Nghiêmhas had the opportunity to prepare Ninh Bình from the start of the season rather than joining mid-campaign. What the experienced manager showed in the final stretch of the 2025/26 season brought many positive signals. And with a squad that has been evenly upgraded, fans have every reason to expect a much stronger Ninh Bình.

If the new signings quickly integrate and coach Chu Đình Nghiêm fine-tunes the machine to his liking, Ninh Bình has every capability of rising to become a major force in Vietnamese football during the 2026/27 season.