Ghanaian striker Mahadi Abubakar has called on home-based footballers to consider Vietnam as a place for a professional career following an outstanding growth in the country’s football.

Abubakar, 21, currently plays for Song Lam Nghe An in the Vietnamese top flight and has netted four goals in eight games this season for his side who sit second on the league log.

The forward graduated from then Dutch-owned Gomoah Fetteh Feyernoord Football Academy in Ghana in 2009, showing promising signs of a great footballer.

“I have been in Vietnam for two seasons now and I can confidently say that the league is top notch. It is one of the best leagues in Asia. Sponsorship is very good and in terms of salary, they even pay better than some European countries,” Abubakar told Goal.

“The infrastructure, the pitches and everything is perfect. Vietnam is now the new safe haven in Asian football. I will entreat all domestic players who want to play abroad to consider Vietnam,” he said.

Contrary to popular opinion, Abubakar says the standard of the V-League is fast improving following the influx of talent from several continents.

“The standard of the league in Vietnam is not all that bad. There are lots of foreign players especially Brazilians. They have raised the level of the league. Players from Africa, Europe and other South American countries are also here,” he said.

The Vietnamese league was launched in 1980 to develop the country's football after years of civil war, becoming a professional league in the 2000-2001 season.