Race for Christantus heats up as Brighton join Premier League rivals in seeking his services

NIGERIAN striker Christantus Uche has now become one of the hottest properties and most sought-after players in English football as the race to secure his services during the forthcoming January transfer window heats up further.

Christantus, 21, who plies his trade for La Liga club Getafe, has attracted a lot of interest since joining the club in the summer. He joined Getafe from Ceuta, who play in the third tier of Spanish football and he has quickly adapted to life in La Liga and so far English Premiership sides Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Chelsea have all enquired about him.

Now, Brighton & Hove Albion have entered the race to sign the red hot striker who only joined Getafe for €500,000 move from Spanish third-tier side Ceuta last summer. According to online sports medium Fichajes, the Seagulls are prepared to make a significant investment to bring Uche to the Amex Stadium.

Brighton are reportedly impressed by his versatility, which allows him to excel both as a midfielder and in more advanced attacking roles. In September, Getafe placed a price tag of over €10m on Uche but the valuation is unlikely to deter Premier League clubs with deep pockets eager to secure one of the season’s standout performers.

Since leaving Nigeria in 2022, Uche has plied his trade in Iberia and leaving for the English Premier League would be a big switch for him. Born in Owerri, Uche played amateur football in his hometown before receiving an offer from Moralo, a club in the fifth tier of Spanish football in July 2022 and since then, he has gradually climbed up the ladder, joining bigger teams every season.