Sadiq Umar Joins Valencia On Loan: Nigerian Star Aims To Revive Career In La Liga

Nigerian striker Sadiq Umar has agreed to join Valencia on loan from Real Sociedad for the next six months on a conditional one-year mandatory buy.

The transfer gives the Nigerian forward an opportunity to bounce back to form at a club after struggling through his time in Spain with Real Sociedad.

By all means, Sadiq’s journey at Real Sociedad is not one without hitches. Signed from Almeria at €20 million in September 2022 and only 27-year-old, expectations were high for him to deliver.

However, just three games into his debut season, his season was ruined by an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which kept him out for the rest of the season.

While Sadiq featured last season, he never claimed a regular starting place in the first team. The current season has not shown any change in that aspect either; the Nigerian forward has appeared in only 11 matches for the club as a substitute.

Talks started arising about his imminent transfer, especially as playing time diminished, which attracted interest from Getafe and Valencia.

Sadiq Umar Is Second Nigerian To Join Valencia

The latter was finally clinched by Valencia, who officially presented Sadiq on Saturday, 4th of January 2025. His signing is a boost for the Spanish La Liga side, which, after nineteen matches, is 19th in the league with only 12 points to their credit.

It also makes Sadiq Umar the second Nigerian to join Valencia team after Sunny who joined the club in 2007.

The loan agreement served as a plus for both Sadiq and Valencia, where the latter continues to struggle to avoid getting relegated.

For the club, it symbolizes an attempt to buy into a talented player with comparatively little game time and put him back into the field.

When a player opts for a permanent transfer, both players Sadiq and Valencia will be encouraged to ensure that this partnership works.