In appraising Umar Sadiq's second season with Real Sociedad, the club's Sporting Director Roberto Olabe has sought to highlight the positives.
Sadiq's time at Real Sociedad has been marked by disappointment since his €20 million transfer from Almeria in 2022.
Early in his debut season, he suffered a cruciate ligament injury, which kept him out for the entire campaign and caused him to miss 45 games. Despite this setback, Sadiq returned to action last summer and was reintegrated into the team.
However, the 27-year-old forward is still working to regain his top form, having started in just 12 out of 26 appearances for Real Sociedad this season. He has scored three goals and provided one assist for the Txuri-Urdin.
Umar Sadiq's challenges and unconventional style
Olabe provided insights into Sadiq's tenure at the club, acknowledging his unique playing style has complicated his adaptation.
“He has stood out in games in which he has played well,” Olabe noted. “Sadiq has some characteristics that we are not used to seeing here. He has more volume, more repetition, more physicality. We just have not found the performance we are looking for.
“Sadiq has not explicitly asked us to leave, but he has admitted to us that he has had a bad year and that he has suffered.”
Sadiq future uncertain as he seeks a way out of Real Sociedad nightmare
Umar Sadiq, who has struggled to find form at Real Sociedad, is now seeking a way out with recent links to Getafe and his former club, Almeria.
The Nigeria international joined Real Sociedad from Almeria, where he had a prolific spell, scoring 43 goals and providing 19 assists in 84 games.
Almeria are reportedly interested in bringing him back, hoping to reignite the impressive form he displayed during his previous stint.
Sadiq's contract at San Sebastian runs until 2028.
