Valencia's striker search: From Sadiq heartbreak to Beltrán revival
Valencia desperately seeking a target man after summer transfer disappointment, with Umar Sadiq back on the radar as Lucas Beltrán finally finds his feet.
Valencia’s attacking woes have left them desperate for January reinforcements after summer transfer plans went Pete Tong.
Goal drought crisis
The Mestalla outfit have been suffering something chronic this season, with their attack looking about as threatening as a wet weekend in Bognor. They’re currently the sixth-lowest scoring team in La Liga with a measly 16 goals from 17 matches.
The root of the problem? Squad planning gone wrong. Gaffer Corberán had a specific profile in mind last summer - a proper target man who could hold up the ball and bring others into play. In football speak, someone to help the team “stretch” - but they couldn’t get their man over the line.
The Sadiq saga
Umar Sadiq was always on Valencia’s radar following his decent loan spell from Real Sociedad last season. While not their top priority initially, he became their main target as the transfer window neared its close.
Valencia first tried to secure another loan deal, but when La Real flatly refused, they considered a permanent transfer. However, the numbers simply didn’t add up financially, forcing them to look elsewhere at the eleventh hour.
Beltrán’s bumpy start
Enter Lucas Beltrán - a curious case indeed. The Argentine striker had actually been offered to Valencia early in the summer window but was initially dismissed as not fitting the desired profile. That report was filed away, only to be hastily retrieved when deadline day panic set in.
With no target man secured, Valencia opted for someone rather than no one, and Fiorentina facilitated a loan move for Beltrán. The problem? He wasn’t the tank-like number nine they’d been hunting for.
His adaptation proved painful, with September through November being particularly rough. The nadir came against Sevilla with that shocking miss when through on goal - hitting the ball with his shin when one-on-one with Odysseas.
December revival
But December has seen a remarkable turnaround for the Argentine. He delivered his best performance against Atlético Madrid, scoring his first goal, followed by another strike in the Copa del Rey against Sporting Gijón. Against Mallorca, he nearly added to his tally. His luck seems to have finally turned, even if he’s not the archetypal target man they craved.
January targets
Despite Beltrán’s improvement, Valencia remain adamant about signing that elusive target forward in January. Sadiq is back on their radar, with the 28-year-old Nigerian reportedly keen on a move to Mestalla. It was his priority in summer and remains so now.
The ball is now in Valencia and Real Sociedad’s court to find common ground. The Basque club set rigid conditions back in August that Valencia couldn’t meet - the question is whether things will be different this time around.