Crystal Palace’s choice not to turn Christantus Uche’s loan into a permanent move is continuing to create serious issues for Getafe, according to reports in Spain.
Marca report that the La Liga club are being forced to carefully manage their finances because of the uncertainty surrounding the Palace forward. Uche joined the Eagles on loan late in the summer window, with the agreement including a €20 million purchase option. That clause would only be triggered if he started 10 Premier League matches.
That scenario now looks highly unlikely. Uche has featured sparingly under Oliver Glasner and reports last month indicated Palace have no intention of activating the permanent deal. While he is expected to remain with the squad until the end of the season, Getafe will not receive the fee they had been counting on.
The situation has left the Spanish club in difficulty. Marca explain that when the loan was completed, Getafe submitted financial projections that classed the €20 million payment as a likely income. Those figures were approved by an auditor, allowing La Liga to sign off on the registration of six new players on the final day of the transfer window.
However, when Getafe later submitted their final accounts, the same auditor revised their assessment and stated the money was now unlikely to arrive. As a result, La Liga recalculated Getafe’s salary limit and significantly reduced their spending power, effectively preventing them from strengthening their squad in January.
Getafe appealed the decision to La Liga’s Economic Control Committee, but that challenge was unsuccessful. They have since taken the case to the Social Appeals Committee, with a ruling expected soon. For now, the club remain in limbo, with the fallout from Palace’s stance on Uche having a major impact on their plans this transfer window.