Cong An Ha Noi, a police-run football club in the Vietnamese capital city, held a ceremony on Friday morning to debut their new player, Nguyen Quang Hai, who just bid farewell to France’s Ligue 2 football side Pau FC earlier this month.

Hai signed a contract with Cong An Ha Noi for a duration of 18 months, the club told the press at the ceremony.

However, the 26-year-old midfielder will not be able to participate in his new club’s upcoming top-tier 2023 V-League 1 match against Hong Linh Ha Tinh FC, scheduled for 7:15 pm on Saturday. 

This is due to the contractual obligations between Hai and Pau FC, which are set to expire on June 30, despite the early termination agreement.

After Hai’s Pau FC contract prematurely ended as per his wish, Cong An Ha Noi made diligent negotiations to secure the return of the midfielder to the V-League 1, adding to the club’s star-studded roster of newcomers that includes Vietnamese internationals such as Doan Van Hau, Vu Van Thanh, and Ho Tan Tai. 

Hau, Thanh, and Tai joined Cong An Ha Noi on significant contracts at the start of the 2023 season.

During the unveiling event, Hai expressed his aspirations, stating, “I have numerous personal goals.

“I possess ambitions and a desire to embrace challenges, always striving for the best choices. 

“I consistently give my utmost effort and strive to accumulate knowledge and experience that contribute to my growth and advancement. 

“I refuse to settle and be content with my current achievements, that’s not reflective of my character.”

Hai joined Pau FC on a two-year contract in June 2022 after leaving Hanoi FC, another V-League 1 club also based in Hanoi, where he had spent 16 years building his professional football career, in March of the same year.

Regrettably, he did not have chances to showcase his football skills in France.

The midfielder played a total of 19 matches for Pau FC in the 2022-23 season, according to statistics by football database site Soccerway. 

Among these, he started in nine matches and scored one goal.

In six seasons in Hanoi FC’s first team from 2016 to 2022, Hai played 127 matches, scored 35 goals, and won domestic titles and the Vietnam Golden Ball in 2018.

The Vietnamese club offered Hai a new contract, but he remained steadfast in his desire to play football abroad at that time.

When asked about his plans to go abroad again during Friday’s event, Hai, who will wear his familiar No. 19 jersey at Cong An Ha Noi, responded that he cannot predict the future. 

He emphasized that football is unpredictable, and his focus is on giving his best at the ongoing Vietnamese football season. 

Hai also expressed his determination to perform at his highest level at Cong An Ha Noi, with the goal of helping his new team secure titles and achieve success.

After winning the championship in the second-tier V-League 2 in 2022, the club earned promotion to the V-League 1 for the 2023 season. 

In the current standings, the team hold the second position after completing 11 matches.

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