Uche shows off UECL medal, hints at Glasner

Super Eagles midfielder, Christantus Uche, has posted on social media to show his UEFA Europa Conference League winner’s medal. He earned this during a tough loan period at Crystal Palace last season. His caption seemed like a subtle dig at his former manager, Oliver Glasner.

Uche played on loan at Crystal Palace from Getafe. He was a key player for Getafe before moving to England to help raise funds. Many fans had high hopes for him in the Premier League, but he struggled to make an impact. He played only 159 minutes in the league, all as a substitute, and did not make it to Palace’s squad for the knockout stages of the Conference League after playing only in the first half of the season.

Even with his limited playtime, Uche received a gold medal when Crystal Palace won the trophy. He shared this achievement with his fans over the weekend. “A devilish person might try to bring you down with their wicked actions, but you are resilient and blessed, rising above their negativity. Thank you, UEFA,” Uche wrote, without naming anyone.

This post comes after a tough season under Glasner. The coach often did not give the 23-year-old a chance to show his skills and left him out of many matchday squads. Uche believed at the end of last season that Glasner had a personal dislike for him. This claim has not been proven, but it showed his frustration about not getting enough playtime.

Uche had a buy clause at Palace worth between €18m and €20m. This meant he needed to start at least ten Premier League matches. He never came close to reaching that target. He played 14 times in the league, all as a substitute, without scoring or assisting.

His best moments in England happened in the Conference League, where he scored twice. However, he was left out of the squad for the later stages. Now that his loan is over, and since he did not meet the buy-clause conditions, Uche has returned to Getafe. He hopes to move past his tough Premier League period and get his career back on track. There is reported interest from Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid, Real Betis, AC Milan, Wolves, and Brentford.