Song Lam Nghe An FC have completed the signing of Cape Verdean-Portuguese centre-forward Carlos Fortes on a free transfer from his previous status as a free agent, adding experienced firepower to their V.League 1 squad. The 31-year-old joins SLNA FC after leaving Chinese side Suzhou Dongwu and will be registered as a centre-forward, wearing the number 27 shirt. His contract with the Vietnamese club runs from 2026-03-04 to 2027-12-31.
The move brings an immediate end to Fortes’ spell without a club following his departure from Suzhou Dongwu, where his contract concluded earlier in 2026. With a current market value listed at €100k, SLNA FC secure the striker without paying a transfer fee, a low-risk acquisition for a player with extensive experience across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Fortes arrives in V.League 1 with a long and varied career behind him. Born in Lisboa and standing at 1.88m, the right-footed forward has represented clubs in Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Romania, Morocco, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and China. His professional path began in Portugal’s youth and lower leagues with CD Nacional U19 and CAC Pontinha, before a first senior move abroad to Spain with Rayo Cantabria.
He later returned to Portugal with FC Paços de Ferreira and SC Braga B, where his market value peaked at around €500k during his early twenties. A loan spell at Sanliurfaspor in Türkiye followed, then a permanent move to FC Vizela, again in Portugal. His performances there earned him a switch to Romanian side Gaz Metan Medias, where his value climbed as high as €650k and he established himself in a European top division.
From Romania, Fortes joined CS Universitatea Craiova and later moved on loan to Ittihad Tanger in Morocco, before returning and then heading back to Portugal with UD Vilafranquense. His career then took a distinct Asian turn: first to Arema FC and PSIS Semarang in Indonesia, then to Al-Dhafra FC in the United Arab Emirates, and most recently to Chinese clubs Foshan Nanshi and Suzhou Dongwu.
Recent market-value updates show his worth stabilising around the €200k mark in China before settling at €100k with Suzhou Dongwu in late 2025, underlining that, while no longer at his peak, he remains a recognised professional asset. His free-agent status after leaving Suzhou Dongwu allowed SLNA FC to move decisively to secure his services.
For SLNA FC and the V.League 1, the signing brings in a well-travelled centre-forward whose background spans European and Asian competitions, and who carries dual nationality with Cape Verde and Portugal. For Fortes, the contract offers another chapter abroad, this time in Vietnam rather than in his countries of nationality, and an opportunity to reassert his value as a leading attacker in a growing league before his deal with the club expires on 2027-12-31.
