By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria striker Sadiq Umar is reportedly open to a return to Valencia, as Real Sociedad weigh up offers for the 27-year-old ahead of a possible summer departure.
While no final decision has been made by Sociedad, the La Liga side are believed to be willing to consider bids that meet their valuation for the Nigerian forward. Talks are ongoing, with Valencia emerging as a likely destination should the club decide to reinitiate contact.
Umar, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Mestalla, made a notable impression during his time with Valencia. However, the club opted not to activate the €9.5 million buy option included in his loan agreement, resulting in his return to San Sebastián.
Despite interest from other clubs — including Villarreal and international sides from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey — Umar is said to prefer staying in La Liga, particularly in a World Cup year, as he remains well-adapted to the Spanish top flight.
Sources close to the player suggest both Umar and his representatives would welcome a return to Valencia, provided the club shows clear intent to make the move happen.
In addition, Deportivo Alavés have emerged as a potential suitor following the €16.5 million sale of striker Panichelli to Strasbourg. The Basque side are in the market for attacking reinforcements and have expressed interest in Umar’s services.
Real Sociedad are expected to make a decision on his future before the close of the transfer window.
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.
