Almeria rejected last-minute La Liga player-plus-cash bid for Nigeria’s Umar Sadiq

The Rojiblancos refused to sanction the departure of their talismanic forward despite receiving a tempting offer in the final hours of transfer deadline day

La Liga side Getafe reportedly made a last-ditch attempt to sign Nigerian forward Umar Sadiq from Almeria on the last day of the summer transfer window.

According to reliable Spanish publications La Voz, the Deep Blue Ones offered their Segunda division counterparts a player-plus-cash offer for the former Partizan Belgrade striker.

Getafe were among the first clubs to make a bid for Sadiq this summer, offering €16 million (7.8 billion naira) back in July, which was promptly rejected by La Union.

The Rojiblancos valued the 24-year-old who scored 22 goals in all competitions in his debut season in Spain at around €30 million. That is half of the €60 million release clause in Sadiq’s contract with the Spanish club.

But Getafe waited until the final hours of transfer deadline day to present an improved bid of €18 million in cash plus an unnamed player and other add-ons that could have pushed up the transfer fee to €25 million (N12.3 billion).

Still, Almeria were not impressed and refused to approve the deal, deciding instead to retain the services of the former AS Roma forward.

Despite his well-known dreams of playing in the Spanish La Liga, Sadiq has largely been unaffected by the rumours linking him to move away from Estadio de Los Juegos Mediterráneos. The ex-Rangers loanee already has a goal and an assist in three league matches for Almeria this term.