Valencia: Umar Sadiq To Undergo Medical, To Debut Against Elche

Valencia: Umar Sadiq To Undergo Medical, To Debut Against Elche

Ibrahim Lateef

Super Eagles striker Umar Sadiq has arrived in Valencia and is scheduled to undergo his medical tests, a necessary step before signing his contract that will keep him at the club until 2028.

The Nigerian could even be included in the squad for the match against Elche, BSNSports.com.ng has sourced.

According to Radio Marca Valencia, the club has reached an advanced agreement with Real Sociedad for the transfer of the Nigerian striker.

The deal will involve a permanent transfer fee of around €3 million, plus add-ons.

Real Sociedad initially signed Sadiq for €20 million three and a half years ago, but they will only recoup around €4 million, following his limited impact of just 57 matches and five goals.

This disappointing return can be partly attributed to a serious injury he suffered shortly after arriving in San Sebastián.

Sadiq was acquired at the very last moment of the 2022 summer transfer window, after Alexander Isak was transferred to Newcastle for €70 million. This deal was finalized on August 24, and Real Sociedad needed a replacement for the lost goalscorer.

Sadiq's debut for Real Sociedad started on a high note; he came on at halftime against Atlético Madrid and scored the equalizer with a header just ten minutes later.

Unfortunately, the joy from this promising start was short-lived. Eight days later, during his third match for the Txuri-urdin, against Getafe, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

After returning nearly a year later, his performance never quite reached the same heights, as he managed only three goals in 36 appearances.

Eventually, Imanol lost faith in him, leading to a loan move to Valencia midway through last season, where he performed well.

Wearing the Valencia shirt, Umar Sadiq played 19 matches in the latter half of last season, scoring six goals and accumulating just over 1,000 minutes on the pitch.

As a result, he arrives as a signing ready to make an immediate impact without the need for an adaptation period. In fact, he could potentially be included in the squad for this important home game against Elche on Saturday.