In the world of professional football, it is not uncommon for players to experience a decline in form, especially as they enter the latter stages of their careers. However, every now and then, a player makes a move that can potentially reignite their career, and Sadiq Umar is hoping to be the latest example.
The Super Eagles striker, once renowned for his clinical finishing, has joined Valencia on loan in a bid to rediscover his goalscoring touch which prompted Real Sociedad to invest in him in the first place. Bold Sports investigates what went wrong for Sadiq Umar while analyzing the chances of the 27-year-old reigniting his career in this new chapter of his career.
Early years
Born in Kaduna, Sadiq Umar already started playing football on the streets before joining teams like the Kusa Boys, Future of Africa Football Academy, and finally the Football College Abuja. However, he made his name in Croatia when he participated at the Kvarnerska Rivijera youth tournament with FCA, winning the tournament’s Golden Boot and leading his team to the title.
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Spezia invested in Sadiq Umar due to his performances in Croatia before loaning him out to Serie D side, Lavagnese. Upon his return, he was integrated into the youth team, finishing as their highest goalscorer in the 2014-15 season with 26 goals in 24 games before completing another loan move to Roma the following season.
Sadiq Umar was unstoppable for Roma in the youth league, recording eight goals in three games before making his Serie A debut against Bologna. He finished the season with two goals in six Serie A games, prompting Roma to permanently secure his services from Spezia.
Loan merry-go-round
Despite scoring in his only pre-season game against Paris Saint Germain in the 2017 International Champions Cup, Sadiq Umar was sent on loan to Bologna before completing back-to-back loan moves to Torino, NAC Breda, Rangers and Perugia. At NAC Breda, the Nigerian striker helped the club avoid relegation with five goals in 12 Eredivisie appearances.
His last loan move to Serbian club, Partizan was however the pick of the bunch as he scored 17 goals and recorded 17 assists in 39 games across all competitions, prompting the Serbian side to activate the buy clause they had to seal a €1.3m permanent deal for the Nigerian.
Move to Spain
Months after sealing a permanent deal with Partizan, Sadiq Umar was on the move once again as he joined Spanish side, Almeria on a five-year contract. In his first season, he recorded 22 goals and 4 assists in 43 games before following that up with 19 goals and 9 assists in 38 games, leading the team to secure promotion to the La liga.
Few months after securing promotion, Umar who was on the list of many European clubs moved to Real Sociedad on a six-year contract and he celebrated his new adventure with a debut goal against Atletico Madrid in a 1-1.
Devastating ACL heartbreak
Sadiq Umar was looking like one of the most promising signings in the La Liga until September 11, 2022 when he sustained an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury, ruling him out for the season.
Undeterred by the setback, the Nigerian striker continued to work hard behind the scenes and he eventually made his comeback in the 2023-24 season, coming on as a substitute to replace Mikel Oyarzabal in a 1-1 draw against Girona.
He ended a goal scoring drought that lasted for 449 days as he scored his first goal of the season against Sevilla before scoring another spectacular goal against Osasuna less than one week later. However, Sadiq Umar struggled to consistently start for Real Sociedad after his injury and this affected his goal scoring output.
Coming into the 2024-25 season, he was already down the pecking order as Real Sociedad gaffer, Imanol Alguacil preferred to deploy Mikel Oyazarbal as the striker for his team. Hence, the loan move to Valencia became necessary for Sadiq Umar to regain a starting position and consequently rejuvenate his career.
A fresh start
Despite his struggles, Sadiq Umar remains confident in his abilities, recently affirming that he is ready to fight for Valencia and his move to “Los Ches” could be just the catalyst he needs to reignite his career.
Valencia Sporting Director Miguel Ángel ‘Corona’ has expressed his admiration for Sadiq Umar’s talents, indicating that with the right support and guidance, he can rediscover his goalscoring touch.
New head coach, Carlos Corberan also has a reputation for developing players and providing a platform for them to showcase their skills, making Valencia an attractive destination for the Super Eagles striker.
As Sadiq Umar begins his new chapter with Valencia, he’ll be eager to prove himself once again. With a fresh start, a new manager, and a supportive team environment, he’ll be looking to recapture the form that made him a household name.
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