Soccer News of Wednesday, 3 September 2025

Source: www.soccernet.ng

'What do you want' – Getafe fans clash with club president over Christantus Uche’s exit to Crystal Palace

Christantus Uche Christantus Uche

Getafe president Ángel Torres is facing a backlash from furious supporters after sanctioning the late sale of striker Christantus Uche to Crystal Palace, Soccernet.ng reports.

The versatile Nigerian forward joined Palace on loan with an obligation to buy for €20 million next sunmer. That figure will make him the most expensive sale in Getafe’s history, surpassing Marc Cucurella’s €18m move to Brighton in 2021.

But while the fee suits the club’s books, fans are unconvinced, and Torres has been forced onto the defensive.

Uche himself admitted he did not want to leave Madrid so soon, while manager José Bordalás also pushed to keep him.

Ultimately, financial fair play restrictions meant Getafe had little choice but to cash in if they wanted to register the rest of their squad for the season.

The president, however, has struggled to contain the fallout.

Marca has published footage of Torres being heckled outside the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, where fans demanded answers after a chaotic deadline day that saw three players leave, only one arrive, and multiple registrations rushed through.

“What do you want?” Torres snapped back at supporters before trying to reassure them.

“Of course it’s sad, but life goes on. Keep calm and trust in me.”

That message has done little to ease tensions. Many supporters are angry at the handling of Uche’s transfer and Torres’ erratic public comments, including his insistence last week that he had not met the player’s agent, only for the agent to confirm talks on the same day.

For Torres, who has led the club since 2002, the next few weeks will be critical in regaining control of the narrative. Uche’s sale, forced or not, has left fans questioning the club’s direction after a summer that already felt unstable.

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old striker is wasting no time adjusting to his new reality. Unveiled at Selhurst Park on Monday, Uche is already en route to Nigeria’s national camp ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa.