Former Nigeria international Garba Lawal in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa has urged Christantus Uche to make a careful decision about his next move, amidst transfer reports that link him to English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers and Italian giants AC Milan.
Lawal, who represented Nigeria at the 1998 World Cup and won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, believes the 22-year-old, who has maintained silence on the rumours, has what it takes to succeed anywhere he goes.
“For me, I am on two borders about Uche at the moment, even though I find his story very interesting, and I am happy for his growth. He has a wonderful story and now, he is on the verge of a move to another league which will see him earn more money for himself and his family,” Lawal stated in the exclusive interview with Footy-Africa.
“However, I would have loved him to stay one more year with Getafe and continue his development. He has immense potential. Uche is a big, strong lad, and he can fit into the tactical demands of Serie A and the physical side of the English Premier League. He will succeed wherever he goes because if you look at his career, you will see that he is a strong character who has the zeal to succeed. Whatever happens at the end of the day, whether he ends up with Wolves or Milan, I know he will succeed, and I wish him all the best,” Lawal added.
At just 22, Uche has enjoyed a remarkable rise in football over the past two years, climbing from Spain’s fifth tier to the top flight in record time.
The Nigerian had a breakout season with Getafe last year and capped it off by making his debut for the Super Eagles in the Unity Cup, a tournament involving Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago which the Super Eagles won.
He has carried that momentum into the new campaign, scoring once and providing an assist in Getafe’s opening day 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo.
His form has not gone unnoticed, with some top European clubs monitoring his progress.
Last season, Uche featured 33 times for Getafe in La Liga, scoring four goals and providing six assists in his debut campaign at the top level.
