Steven Gerrard has made major accusations about summer signing

If ‘reading between the lines’ of Steven Gerrard’s recent comments is to be taken fully seriously plus some predictable online rumours and other sources of intel, there does seem to be a problem with summer signing Umar Sadiq, beyond ‘settling in’.

Indeed, if the manager’s wording on the lad is to be taken as he appears to intend it, Umar Sadiq not only hasn’t settled into life at Ibrox, but hasn’t tried either.

Let’s look at Gerrard’s exact quotes:

“We need more in every department. There is not one thing where you think: ‘Well, if he does that a bit better, he’s in.’ He needs to do more. We understand he is a young player. I’ve spoken to him numerous times one-on-one. He’s had individual training. We’ve done everything as a staff to help him. But you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work it out. He hasn’t had much game-time. He’s frustrated by that. But as a player, when that’s not happening, the only player who can sort it out is yourself. The one person who can sort it out is Umar. He needs to push himself in every single department. He needs to realise he is at a big club. Competition for places is big in every single position. He needs to do the maths. If he adds them up, he hasn’t played many minutes. If he wants more minutes and more game-time, he has got to push. He’s got to show me he is the best in training, the best no.9. That’s not happening right now.”

If these words are exactly what Gerrard means, and added to ‘comes to the party’ Stevie appears to be exasperated with Umar’s absolute lack of work ethic and commitment to the club.

If we are to conjecture further, given the information we hear about alleged laziness and general attitude issues, it would appear Umar Sadiq has arrived in Scotland, quite happy to play for a club the size of Rangers, but after a week in this country has found the environment not to his liking and downed tools.

He wouldn’t be the first player to do this and he won’t be the last.

We are of course, not claiming this is true, nor even alleging it – we are merely conjecturing based on information at hand and how his time at Rangers looks.

It does mean Rangers only have two striker options and the Nigerian will return to Roma in January.

Que sera.