An 18-member U19 team from the Hoang Anh Gia Lai-Arsenal-JMG Football Academy will tour Europe this June in a pre-graduation programme.

Deputy managing director of Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Tran Van Minh, said his trainees, who will finish their seven-year course in 2014, are scheduled to train and play with teams from England, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.

Last December Nguyen Tuan Anh, Tran Huu Dong Trieu, Nguyen Cong Phuong and Luong Xuan Truong were called up for a one-month training course with Arsenal’s U18 squad by Arsene Wenger.

The squad, based in Pleiku City, enjoyed a successful tour in Europe last year where they beat Arsenal’s U18 team 1-0 and Wissou FC of France 2-0.

A team from the academy will also play at the Sanix Cup 2013 in Fukuoka, Japan from March 21-24. This will be the first time the trainees participate in an official tournament.

The Hoang Anh Gia Lai-Arsenal-JMG Football Academy was built in conjunction with Arsenal in 2007 with investment of 4 million USD in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai. It was the first ever international standard football training centre to be built in Vietnam.-VNA