It’s now become clear that huge question marks are swirling around Umar Sadiq’s signing from Roma.
Steven Gerrard’s most recent comments on the on-loan Nigerian is quite telling. When asked what Sadiq had to improve to get into Rangers’ side, Gerrard stated the phrase “everything”.
Let’s not beat about the bush with how this makes Sadiq look – things aren’t good when it comes to his first-team chances. Considering that Gerrard is even thinking of not giving him a game whilst having no strikers available, his future is a big concern.
This won’t be a loan period that results in a permanent deal. Surely not after everything that’s happened with him since his arrival will this become permanent.
It’s clear that the manager doesn’t like him and views him extremely lowly in the pecking order. That then begs the question – why on earth was Sadiq signed in the first place?
Gerrard used to rate him
After all, the forward was spoken highly of by the manager, and we were all to get excited about him. As it stands, he’s the only real blot on Gerrard’s signing list. It’s just looking confusing at this stage as to why he was brought in.
Surely looking at his previous goal record in Italy should’ve had alarm bells ringing. Other than a short stint at NAC Breda in Holland, Sadiq has been a failure everywhere he’s been. He won’t have a future in this Roma side, and now his Rangers one is looking all the more in doubt too.
Is this a striker that Gerrard liked from the start? Despite initially speaking well of him, it doesn’t seem he really rates the Nigerian forward.
It’s a shame considering Sadiq clearly has the right attitude. The forward has committed himself to working hard and finding a way into this Rangers side. The problem is he also needs to show the manager that in training. As it stands, Sadiq seems a long way from doing just that.
Kyle Lafferty and Alfredo Morelos go from strength to strength for the Gers this season. The pair are speeding away and out of sight of Sadiq in terms of the pecking order.
The fact the manager would rather change his system than play Sadiq is also telling.
So why was he signed? Was this simply a massive mistake on the part of either Gerrard or Mark Allen? Was he a panic buy? How has this deal went south so quickly? All of these questions will hopefully be answered.
In the meantime, let’s see if Sadiq can somehow force his way into this in-form Rangers side.
