English Premier League
Uncertainty surrounds Christantus Uche’s future at Crystal Palace
By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Concerns are growing over the long-term future of Nigeria international Christantus Uche at Crystal Palace, following a sharp decline in his first-team involvement since joining the Premier League club last summer.
Uche arrived at Selhurst Park from Getafe after an encouraging spell in La Liga, where he scored once and registered an assist in just three appearances. The forward impressed on his Premier League debut against Sunderland, delivering a lively cameo in the final six minutes.
However, that early promise has since faded. Uche has made only one additional minute of senior football since his debut and has recently been featuring for Palace’s Under-21 side to maintain match fitness.
Manager Oliver Glasner explained that both Uche and teammate Romain Esse were temporarily moved to the youth squad during the international break to ensure they remained in competitive rhythm.
“They hadn’t played as much as the others, so it was important they got some minutes,” Glasner said.
Despite this clarification, uncertainty persists around Uche’s future. His loan agreement is believed to include a clause requiring ten starts to trigger a permanent transfer, a threshold that now seems increasingly unlikely given his limited opportunities.
Complicating his situation further, the Nigerian forward joined a settled and in-form Palace side, which has enjoyed an exceptional run — winning both the FA Cup and Community Shield while extending an unbeaten streak to 19 matches.
With competition for attacking places fierce and minutes hard to come by, Uche’s chances of securing a long-term stay in South London appear to be hanging in the balance as the season progresses.
