By Monsurah Olatunji
Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has extended his congratulations to Super Eagles teammate Umar Sadiq following the latter’s move to Valencia on loan from Real Sociedad.
Nwabali, who is currently going through a tough time after losing both of his parents within a short span, expressed his joy for Sadiq, who is starting a new chapter in his career.
Sadiq, who had previously spent three seasons at UD Almería, where he scored 43 goals and provided 13 assists in 84 appearances, played a key role in helping the team gain promotion to La Liga in the 2021/22 season.
The 27-year-old striker’s time at Real Sociedad was marred by injuries that hindered his ability to maintain form and game time following his record €20 million move in 2022. However, he is now set for a fresh start with Valencia, where he will spend the remainder of the season on loan.
“May Allah make it easy for you, brother,” Nwabali wrote in an emotional message on his Instagram stories.
Despite yet to score in his seven appearances for Real Sociedad this season, Sadiq will be looking to make an impact at Valencia and help them climb out of the relegation zone, as they currently sit second-bottom in La Liga with just 12 points from 18 matches.
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.
