Christantus Uche’s rise at Getafe convinced Crystal Palace to sign him last summer.
The forward joined the La Liga side from AD Ceuta in February 2024 and enjoyed a good run. He managed four goals and seven assists last season. This was enough for Crystal Palace to sign him on loan with a conditional obligation to buy.
Last September, Sport Witness covered the €19m purchase clause. Ceuta will be eligible to receive 12.5% of the profit from his future sale.
Their president, Luhay Hamido, revealed Crystal Palace will have to buy Uche if he makes 10 starts this season.
The Nigeria international has failed to replicate his Getafe form at Selhurst Park so far. He played 462 minutes from 20 matches in all competitions for Oliver Glasner’s side. This includes three starts and two were in the UEFA Conference League.
Getafe are concerned over the Eagles not exercising the automatic clause to buy him. It’s not just the La Liga side, but Ceuta are also worried about his situation at Crystal Palace.
El Faro de Ceuta, a newspaper local to the Segunda División side, now cover the latest on their massive disappointment.
Crystal Palace have left the 22-year-old out of the UEFA Conference League squad. The newspaper claims This is a ‘controversial decision’ from Glasner and try to justify their bold claim.
Uche is the fourth top scorer in the Conference League with two goals. He and Ismaïla Sarr are the London club’s joint top scorers of this competition.
Therefore, El Faro de Ceuta claim Ceuta are finding Glasner and Crystal Palace’s decision to omit Uche ‘difficult to understand’.
Uche needs to start in seven of Crystal Palace’s remaining 13 league matches. That would be unlikely, more so after Jørgen Strand Larsen’s arrival from Wolverhampton Wanderers.