- Crystal Palace signed Christantus Uche on loan
- Nigerian return to Getafe confirmed
- Buy clause not triggered
Getafe sporting director Toni Munoz has confirmed that Christantus Uche has missed out on a permanent move to Crystal Palace. The Nigerian forward has spent the season on loan at Selhurst Park.
Uche has struggled for game time, making 22 appearances across competitions and bagging two goals and one assist. He hasn’t started a single Premier League game.
The loan agreement between Palace and Getafe included a buy clause should the player make 10 starts. That is no longer possible and Munoz has clarified the situation.
Uche Leaving Palace
Uche’s last outing came in a 3-1 away win over Tottenham Hotspur back in early March. It’s been clear that the club don’t intend to make his signing permanent and that’s because the buy option was for a fee of €20m.
Munoz finally confirmed Uche is not joining Palace permanently when he spoke to DAZN (via Marca):
“It is taken for granted because the player has not fulfilled the objective (of matches) and it is clear that he returns.”
Uche’s failure to secure a permanent move isn’t just a blow for the 22-year-old. It’s also a huge issue for Getafe who were relying on using the €20m to address financial issues.
The Eagles look set to bolster their attack this summer by looking elsewhere. The latest name to emerge as a potential target is AJ Auxerre’s Malian frontman Lassine Sinayoko, who is reportedly on the wishlist.
Uche Posts Pointed Instagram Story
Uche has seemingly reacted to his difficulties over the past month with a series of posts on his Instagram story. One of those was a clip of a man crying while saying:
“I just wanna be heard.”
There were big hopes for Uche when he arrived at Palace as he’d enjoyed a fine season at Getafe. He posted five goals and eight assists in 41 games with the La Liga club.
Glasner initially gave him opportunities but eventually he was frozen out of the first team. This is the issue with loan agreements that include clauses that factor in a potential purchase.
Uche didn’t entirely convince but might well have deserved more minutes, especially as Palace balances Europe with the league. But avoiding triggering the clause has ultimately led to a disastrous loan spell at Selhurst Park.
