Vietnam’s very own Nguyen Quang Hai is only one step closer to fulfilling his dreams of playing in Europe, with the young talented winger set for a move to French Ligue 2 side Pau FC.
Having left Hanoi FC in April of 2022, Quang Hai took part in a number of training sessions to keep himself fit as he waits for his dream European move.
Initially Quang Hai was linked with a move to Austrian side LASK Linz, however after the transfer broke down, Quang Hai was subsequently linked to five French second-tier sides, which includes former Ligue 1 teams Metz, Nimes, Bastia, and Grenoble, with Metz having been relegated from the top-flight last season.
However, Quang Hai landed his choice with Pau, feeling that the club would provide him with the most amount of playing time for his development. Additionally, Pau are more than wiling to let Quang Hai go should he plays well and an offer from a bigger European team comes to their doorstep.
Promoted to Ligue 2 back in 2020, Pau finished 10th in the 20-team Ligue 2 last season, despite playing with the smallest budget of the division. Based in the mountainous Pyrenees region, Pau were based at the Nouste Camp Stadium, a 4,031-capacity arena that is the smallest in Ligue 2.
French news outlet L’Equipe hailed Quang Hai’s imminent transfer as an excellent deal for both Pau and Ligue 2.
“It’s both a gamble and a nice move by Pau FC. The club have indeed chosen Nguyen Quang Hai for his potential and also for what he represents in Southeast Asia. With nearly 800,000 followers on Instagram and over 2.5 million likes on Facebook, the midfielder can attract not just the fans but also media and various sponsors,” wrote L’Equipe, as quoted from VNExpress, “For his first experience in Europe, the Vietnamese Messi wanted to find a club that is capable of offering him playing time in the hope of a breakthrough and aiming even higher. He is sure to be one of the attractions of Ligue 2.”
Signing a two year-long contract with an option to extend for another year, Quang Hai is scheduled for a medical on June 29th. Should he pass, Quang Hai will become the first Vietnamese player to turn out in a French professional division.
Quang Hai’s potential opponents in Ligue 2 include the aforementioned Metz, Nimes, Bastia, and Grenoble, as well as Paris FC, Paris Saint-Germain’s crosstown rivals, other former Ligue 1 sides in Dijon, Caen, Guingamp, and Valenciennes, as well as fallen giants Saint-Etienne, who were relegated from Ligue 1 last season alongside Metz. Quang Hai could also face another fallen giant in Bordeaux should the club successfully appeal the decision to relegate them straight into the third tier of French football from Ligue 1 due to their financial crisis.