Star outside hitter Tran Thi Thanh Thuy has officially decided to join a Japanese volleyball club after receiving approval from her home team, VTV Binh Dien Long An.

Immediately following Vietnam’s championship victory at the 2025 AVC Women’s Nations Cup, Thanh Thuy will begin playing for Gumma Bank Green Wings W in the Japanese national league.

Previously, Thanh Thuy expressed her desire to continue developing professionally through international experience. VTV Binh Dien Long An agreed to release her for another overseas stint, accepting her absence for the second phase of the 2025 Vietnam National Volleyball Championship.

If finalized, this will mark Thanh Thuy’s seventh overseas season. She has already played in Japan (twice), Turkey, Indonesia, Thailand, and Taiwan (China).

Gumma Green Wings W, recently promoted to Japan’s top-tier league, finished last season at the bottom due to a lack of high-caliber foreign players. This year, the club has bolstered its roster by signing middle blocker Nasya Dimitrova, the top blocker in Turkey’s national league and a former teammate of Thanh Thuy at Kuzeyboru. They also added Polish national team outside hitter Olivia Rozanski, who previously starred for Besiktas.

Under the Japanese league rules, teams may field a maximum of three foreign players at a time (one from Asia, two from outside Asia). With Thanh Thuy filling the Asian quota, she is all but guaranteed a starting spot on the Green Wings’ roster.

At the 2025 AVC Nations Cup, Thanh Thuy earned the Best Outside Hitter award. She and her teammates have since returned to Quang Ninh to train for the upcoming VTV Cup 2025, which will be held in Vinh Phuc from June 28 to July 5.

Dai Nam