By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Spanish side Elche have expressed interest in Nigerian striker Umar Sadiq following his return to Real Sociedad after the expiration of his loan spell at Valencia.
With his future at the Basque club uncertain, Elche aims to capitalize on the situation.
Sadiq, who is under contract with Real Sociedad until 2028, reportedly prefers to remain in La Liga despite receiving more lucrative offers from Turkish clubs.
This preference could play to Elche’s advantage as they explore a possible move.
While a loan deal is under consideration, Real Sociedad favors a permanent transfer to safeguard the player’s market value. Elche will likely need to present a compelling proposal, potentially including a mandatory purchase clause.
Real Sociedad’s new sporting director, Bretos, has made it clear that the club is awaiting a concrete offer before making further decisions.
The 26-year-old forward remains open to all options, prioritizing regular playing time to regain his best form. Negotiations are expected to be challenging, with the next move resting with the decision-makers at both clubs.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
