Nigeria international striker Sadiq Umar says a return to the Super Eagles remains possible, but insists his main focus right now is maintaining his strong form with Valencia in La Liga.
The forward joined Valencia on a permanent transfer from Real Sociedad during the January window and has quickly made an impact at the club.
Since arriving, Sadiq has already scored three goals for the Spanish side, two in cup matches and one in the league. He has also won two penalties for the team, including one that secured all three points in a recent match. In Valencia’s latest game, a 3–2 victory over Alaves, the Nigerian striker contributed an assist.
Speaking about his performances and confidence at the club, the 27 year old explained that the environment at Valencia has helped him rediscover his best form.
“I play with a lot more freedom here because I have the trust of the coach and my teammates. We are playing really well at the moment but we have to continue in that same way,” he said.
Despite missing out on Nigeria’s squad for the recent Africa Cup of Nations, Sadiq made it clear that he would still welcome another opportunity with the national team if the call comes.
“As a Nigerian I can’t say no if I am called up, but it’s not an obsession to be honest because my immediate goal is to continue to do well with Valencia and everything else will fall in place,” he added.
The striker will now hope his recent run of performances in Spain is enough to put him back in contention for a future Super Eagles call up as Nigeria continues to rebuild its attacking options.
