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Johnny Edward
Striker, Umar Sadiq, has revealed that his deadline-day move from Almeria to Real Sociedad was a step forward in his career, Saturday PUNCH reports.
The 25-year-old, who was linked with moves to Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Villarreal, joined Real Sociedad for a reported €16.2m from Spanish La Liga rivals Almeria in a six-year deal.
The Nigeria international replaced Alexander Isak in Sociedad’s attack after the Swedish striker joined Newcastle United for a club-record £60m fee last week.
Speaking during his presentation at the Reale Arena on Friday, the former Partizan Belgrade player said he joined Sociedad as it was one of the most important club in Spain.
“I chose Real Sociedad because it is one of the most important teams in Spain and it is a step forward for me,” Sadiq said.
“I am very grateful that you wanted to sign me. I am very happy. Real Sociedad was the best option, I couldn’t say no.”
Sadiq signed for Italian club Roma in 2016 but had loan spells at Bologna, Torino, NAC Breda, Rangers and Perugia, before finalising a permanent deal with Serbian side Partizan Belgrade. He scored 23 goals in 52 games for the latter before moving to Almeria in October 2020.
Two exceptional seasons with the Andalusian club, scoring 41 goals, alerted clubs in England, Germany and across the Iberian Peninsula.
Sadiq has seven caps and one goal for Nigeria. He was part of the Eagles squad to the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon where the team crashed out in the Round of 16.
He is expected to make his debut when Sociedad host Atletico Madrid at the Reale Arena on Saturday (today).
Sociedad, who are eighth in the table, will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 victory over Elche, while sixth-placed Atletico were winners by the same scoreline at Valencia in their last match.
Imanol Alguacil’s side started their LaLiga season with a 1-0 victory at Cadiz before losing 4-1 at home to Barcelona on August 21, and a total of six points from three games has left them in the eighth spot in the table.
The arrival of Sodiq could help fire Sociedad to their first LaLiga win over Atletico since September 2019.
Atletico, meanwhile, were 1-0 winners at Valencia in their last match on August 29, with Antoine Griezmann netting the only goal in the 66th minute of the contest at Mestalla.