By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Newly promoted Premier League side Sunderland are reportedly considering a move for Super Eagles midfielder Christantus Uche as a potential replacement for Jobe Bellingham, who is nearing a transfer to Borussia Dortmund.
Sources indicate that Bellingham has already agreed personal terms with the Bundesliga giants, with final negotiations between the clubs ongoing.
In anticipation of his departure, Sunderland have identified Uche—currently with La Liga side Getafe—as a key target to reinforce their midfield ahead of their return to the English top flight.
Uche, known for his versatility and creativity in midfield, has a €25 million release clause in his contract, making him a financially viable option for clubs in search of midfield reinforcements.
In addition to Sunderland, Leeds United and Brentford are also said to be tracking the Nigerian international, whose growing reputation has attracted significant attention across Europe.
While Atlético Madrid are reportedly interested in keeping the 23-year-old in Spain, Premier League clubs continue to monitor the situation closely, with a summer move increasingly likely.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
