NPFL: Lionel Messi fan dumps relegated Remo Stars for rivals Sporting Lagos

Sporting Lagos have made their intentions for the season crystal clear after landing attacking midfielder Haruna Hadi from relegated rivals Remo Stars in a bid to steer well clear of the drop themselves this time around.

Pulse Sports Nigeria reports that the Tech Boys unveiled their new signing on Wednesday, with footage of the announcement quickly doing the rounds and going viral online. 

'We are happy to announce the signing of Haruna Hadi,' the club confirmed.

Known to fans by his social media handle HH16, a nod to his admiration for Lionel Messi, Hadi arrives with a genuine end-product to back up the hype. 

The right-footed attacking midfielder leaves Remo Stars having racked up 10 goals and 13 assists across 97 league appearances, numbers that mark him out as one of the division's more reliable creative outlets. Before his time at Remo Stars, he came through the ranks at Stormers SC.

His trophy cabinet is already taking shape too. Hadi was part of the Sky Blue Stars squad that lifted the league title in 2025, and he played his part on the continental stage as well, featuring in five CAF Champions League matches and setting up a goal along the way.

Hadi's rise hasn't gone unnoticed at national team level either. He's already featured for Nigeria, including a spot in the squad for the 2025 CHAN tournament, co-hosted across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, where he played two matches, lining up alongside a player who is now his club team-mate, Harcourt Ebenezar.

Describing his own game, Hadi points to skill and pace as his defining traits, attributes Sporting Lagos will be hoping translate quickly into results as they look to avoid the fate that's just befallen his former club.

Sporting Lagos were similarly optimistic in their own statement, adding: 'We believe Hadi has what it takes to make an impact in our midfield and we are glad to have him with us.'

With Remo Stars already condemned to relegation, the timing of the move says plenty about Sporting Lagos' ambitions; moving decisively to strengthen while a direct rival is left to rebuild in the second tier.