Sporting Lagos sign Haruna Hadi from Remo Stars

Newly promoted Nigeria Premier Football League side Sporting Lagos beat off stiff competition from Shooting Stars and seven other topflight clubs to secure the signature of attacking midfielder Haruna Hadi from Remo Stars, with the club’s long-term project and head coach Jeffery Buter’s personal intervention proving decisive, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The 25-year-old completed his move from Remo Stars despite interest from several NPFL clubs, including Shooting Stars, who reportedly offered a more lucrative financial package and the attraction of continental football.

Sources close to the negotiations revealed that Sporting Lagos had identified Hadi as a priority target months ago, with head coach Jeff closely monitoring the winger as part of plans to strengthen the squad following the club’s return to the NPFL.

Although Sporting Lagos had made significant progress in negotiations, the race intensified after Shooting Stars entered the picture alongside seven other league clubs.

Sporting Lagos were unwilling to engage in a bidding war but matched the minimum transfer fee Remo Stars were prepared to accept, with Hadi entering the final year of his contract at the Ikenne club.

The player’s preference remained Sporting Lagos throughout the negotiations, although family considerations almost altered the outcome.

Hadi’s father, a former Shooting Stars player, reportedly wanted his son to continue the family legacy at the Ibadan club and was approached by 3SC during negotiations. Other interested clubs also attempted to influence the decision by offering substantial bonuses to members of the player’s family.

The transfer appeared to be tilting towards Shooting Stars in the closing stages before Sporting Lagos head coach Jeff personally visited Hadi’s family to outline the club’s long-term vision and explain the role the winger would play in the project.

The meeting is understood to have had a significant impact, with Hadi and his family impressed by the ambition presented, as well as the opportunity for him to play in Lagos, where he grew up, in front of Sporting Lagos supporters at the Onikan Stadium.

“At the age of two, I noticed that he loves football because anything he sees on the road, he plays it,” Hadi’s mother said in a video shared by Sporting Lagos.

“Football runs in the family, and he already has it. I am very proud of him,” his father, a former 3SC player, added.

Sources added that Sporting Lagos’ financial package was considerably lower than Shooting Stars’ proposal, both in base salary and performance-related bonuses, highlighting the player’s preference for the Sporting Lagos project over financial incentives.

Hadi joins Sporting Lagos after four productive seasons with Remo Stars, where he made 94 appearances across all competitions, scoring 10 goals and providing 12 assists.

Last season, he featured in 30 matches, scoring five goals, and also earned selection for Nigeria’s squad to the African Nations Championship, further underlining his growing reputation as one of the NPFL’s most promising attacking players.