Why signing Umar Sadiq on loan could be a shrewd move by Rangers
According to a report by The Scottish Sun, Rangers are edging closer to securing a season-long loan deal for AS Roma forward Umar Sadiq. The report further states that the player has been dropped from the Italian club’s pre-season squad, meaning a potential move to the Scottish Premiership could be on the horizon.
New manager Steven Gerrard has been quite busy in the ongoing transfer window so far and if the deal goes through, Sadiq could become his 8th signing. Gerrard’s flurry of transfer activity is evidence enough to suggest that he is determined to restore the Gers’ glory next season.
For the longest time, Brendan Rodgers and Celtic have been the undisputed kings of Scottish football. Hence, it goes without saying that the Liverpool icon must put together a strong team to pose a solid challenge to their Old Firm rivals.
To that end, a move to sign Sadiq does make sense. The 21-year-old embarked on his career with Italian club Spezia before joining Roma on loan. He put in a slew of impressive performances for the Serie A outfit and they eventually signed him on a permanent basis. Since then, he has served loan spells with Bologna and Torino.
In fact, the youngster spent the second-half of the previous campaign on loan with Dutch outfit NAC Brenda, scoring 5 goals in the process.
When one watches Sadiq play, it is evident that his positional awareness is quite excellent. Also, despite being so young, the player can read the game quite well. Attacking is truly his forte and his presence will allow Gerrard to play a direct brand of football.
Blessed with abundant pace and physical strength, Sadiq does not shy away from opposition defenders and his passing accuracy is admirable. In addition to that, he is great at utilizing his brute strength to hassle defenders into letting go of the ball – a trait that could be helpful in the final third.
With Kenny Miller and Jason Cummings out of the club, Gerrard only has Alfredo Morelos at his disposal. And when compared to Morelos, Sadiq is more technical with his approach. Thus, the Roma starlet’s presence will allow Gerrard to have greater depth up front.
For now, a loan deal seems to be the best option for all parties involved. But given his skills and potential, it wouldn’t be surprising if Rangers snap him up on a permanent basis.
