Umar Sadiq, close to return: tests this Thursday decide his comeback

Umar Sadiq, Valencia forward, sounded optimistic on Wednesday and said he is in the final stage of his recovery. This Thursday he will undergo new medical tests to assess his progress: “Now I think I’m close to coming back. I just have a few steps left and I’ll be with the team.”

The Nigerian added that if the tests go “as expected,” he believes it will be “very, very soon.” His injury has kept Javier Aguirre without one of his main attacking references since early September, when a hamstring muscle tear was confirmed on September 1. Since then, Sadiq has been training away from the main group.

Sadiq also discussed Aguirre’s impact in the dressing room, saying the coach brings “a lot of positivity” that they saw in the latest match. He even shared that he’s already spoken with Aguirre during his rehab: “He told me to recover well—he’s waiting for me because he knows what I can bring to the team.”