Umar Sadiq driving Valencia surge with goals and penalties in last 10 matches | OneFootball

Umar Sadiq has powered Valencia’s upturn, producing three goals, two assists and two penalties since 15 February’s derby against Levante. Across the last 10 matches those contributions have been worth seven points.

According to Superdeporte, the 191-centimetre Nigerian is as unconventional as he looks, smiling after glaring misses and sometimes barely celebrating vital strikes. His second halves of seasons at Mestalla tend to outshine his first.

Last season he arrived on loan from Real Sociedad and scored five league goals in 16 games, prompting Valencia to pay five million for his rights in January. In this campaign’s first half he registered one key assist for Real Sociedad against Elche. The report said he was also key to their Copa del Rey win months after he left.

Sadiq returned as a winter addition for Corberán for the second year running, addressing business left undone by Ron Gourlay. Valencia had only Hugo Duro carrying the scoring burden, with Lucas Beltrán yet to stand out alongside him.

The chosen spearhead arrived short of rhythm and needed more than a month to fashion a goal. Since then his influence has stretched beyond finishing, leading Valencia for penalties won in LaLiga with 2 and ranking third for assists with 3, behind Luis Rioja and Javi Guerra on 5.

Source: Superdeporte