Nigerian forward Sadiq Umar has counted himself lucky to be playing at Valencia’s iconic Mestalla stadium.

The Nigerian who wrote on his social media page stated that it was a dream for him to play for the club after he swapped Real Sociedad for Valencia in the January transfer on loan.

Following a disappointing first half of the season at Real Sociedad, in which he played in 11 games with no goals and just one assist, Umar joined the relegation-threatened Valencia in January in an attempt to revive his career and help them achieve their goal of remaining in La Liga.

In nine La Liga games since then, the 28-year-old has scored four goals, including a spectacular flick against Osasuna that was voted as the March goal of the month in La Liga. The Nigerian’s notable progress since joining Valencia was also highlighted by his nomination as player of the month.

His performances have coincided with an improvement in Valencia’s form as the La Liga side have only been beaten thrice in 14 games since the Nigerian striker made his debut in a Copa Del Rey clash against Eldense.

The recent form of Valencia has also been attributed to the appointment of Carlos Corberan as head coach, who took over from Ruben Baraja as the team struggled for survival. Due to their improved results, the team now sit 15th on 31 points, 4 points clear of the relegation zone.

Few days after their most recent win against Mallorca, Umar wrote on his official Instagram account, “Living a dream, playing in Mestalla is a dream,” as he reflected on his time at Valencia.

While he is currently on loan, Umar’s recent post suggests that he may be open to signing permanently with Valencia when the summer transfer window opens. However, his recent form may also have attracted interest from other European teams.

In the meantime, he and Valencia will hope to continue their fight for survival when they face Real Madrid on Saturday, April 5. With safety looking feasible, Corberan’s team will be desperate to avoid any slip-up that could take them back into the relegation zone.

Credit: thenationonlineng.net

Playing in Mestalla is a dream’ – Sadiq Umar

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