Rangers have had their fair share of high-profile flops over the years.
Between Joey Barton & Bruno Alves, Daniel Prodan & Carlos Peña, there are a multitude of names that either never lived up to the billing or cost the club a pretty penny.
Of those who walk through the doors at Ibrox only to be laughed back out, very few fail to go on to bigger and better things upon leaving the club.
But one ex-Rangers player – who earned a £17m (€20m) move to the bright lights of Spain’s La Liga only two years ago – has bucked the trend.
Until now.
Sadiq fails to live up to £17m billing
Umar Sadiq, a player so synonymous with flopping hard at Ibrox that the name alone is enough to conjure up an image of that hilarious dive v Aberdeen at Hampden.
With Rangers chasing an equaliser in the League Cup semi-final back in 2018, Sadiq rounded goalkeeper Joe Lewis before diving to the deck in an effort to win a penalty.
With the goal at the lanky Nigerian striker’s mercy, it looked easier to score.
That moment summed up a disastrous six-month loan spell at Ibrox for the former AS Roma striker.
Between public spats with Steven Gerrard, Sadiq’s unorthodox playing style and a distinct lack of opportunity, it was a short term Rangers stint which flopped big time.
But since leaving Ibrox, Umar Sadiq has carved out quite the career for himself and now turns out for Real Sociedad.
Replacing Newcastle United-bound hitman Alexander Isak in a reported £17m (€20m) deal in 2022, the transfer came after years of goalscoring with Partizan Belgrade and then Almería in Liga Segunda.
But after a disastrous 24 months in Spain’s San Sebastián besieged by injury, Sadiq’s sunny stint could be about to end in tears.
Ex-Rangers striker on the move again
According to Mundo Deportivo, Umar Sadiq has requested to leave Real Sociedad this summer.
It comes after the 27-year-old striker’s time with the club was devastated by a cruciate ligament injury which interrupted his first year with Sociedad.
But now back to full fitness, Sadiq has struggled to recapture the form which saw the Spanish side stump up millions to bring him to the club.
And it’s the expensive outlay which sees the striker’s future up in the air this summer.
According to the report, Real Sociedad are unwilling to let Umar Sadiq leave unless they can recoup the bulk of his expensive transfer fee.
La Liga pair Getafe and Alavés are most closely credited with a loan interest but as things stand Real Sociedad are unwilling to let Sadiq leave on a short-term deal.
With nothing to gain from letting the hitman leave, it looks like the two could be stuck in an unhappy marriage and it’s an abrupt detour from the progress Sadiq had been making in his career.
It’s little wonder either; in 36 games last season, Sadiq netted only three goals.
Whilst we take no pleasure in it, that’s much more like the Umar Sadiq Rangers fans will remember.
