Garcia sends warning to Almeria over Umar Sadiq's replacement

Spanish La Liga side Almeria have been warned not to expect as much from their new striker El Bilal Toure as they got from Super Eagles striker Umar Sadiq.

Sadiq left Almeria on a permanent transfer worth €20m to Real Sociedad on the transfer deadline day of the 2022 summer window after helping the club win promotion from the second division the season before.

However, Malian striker El Bilal Toure joined Almeria from French club Stade de Reims as a direct replacement for the departed Super Eagles striker.

While commenting on Almeria's new signing Toure, his former manager at Reims Oscar Garcia described the 20-year-old striker as a 'physical wonder' due to his aerial ability and power.

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As reported by Spanish news outlet La Voz de Almeria, Garcia also stated that he believes Almeria manager Rubi is versed at getting the best out of players with Toure's ability and build.

Garcia enthused: "Bilal Touré is a physical wonder, a footballer with a great aerial game, he is very powerful and with spaces he is a striker who can become very dangerous.

"Almería has a coach, like Rubi, who will surely know how to get a lot of use out of it.

Furthermore, Toure's former coach acknowledged that while the ex-Reims striker might have similar qualities to Sadiq, the 20-year-old is not as technically adept as the Nigerian international yet.

Garcia explained thus: "Yes, they are similar and both are very fast. Both are very dangerous in space; Bilal Touré has a better aerial game than Umar Sadiq, but the Nigerian, technically today, is better.

"Touré is young and I am sure that with Rubi he will progress a lot at Almería, competing in the First Division"

Sadiq scored a total of 43 goals and created a further 19 assists in just 84 matches spread across the 2020/21 season and the 2021/22 season.

The 25-year-old striker is currently injured but hopes to be back soon after scoring on his Real Sociedad debut, scoring Sociedad's only goal in a 1-1 draw with giants Atletico Madrid.