Getafe manager, Jose Bordalás has heaped praise on Super Eagles prospect Christantus Uche following his standout performance in their emphatic 4-0 La Liga victory over Real Valladolid on Sunday.
The 21-year-old Nigerian midfielder was instrumental in Getafe’s win, registering two assists in the first half to set the tone for the dominant display.
His vision, composure, and creativity in the final third were evident as he played a key role in helping Getafe climb to 11th place in the La Liga standings.
Since he arrived from Spanish third-tier side Ceuta for just €500,000 last summer, Uche has become one of Getafe’s most exciting young players.
He has now tallied three goals and five assists in 28 league appearances this season; an impressive return for a player adapting to a new level of competition.
Speaking after the match, Bordalás commended Uche’s development and positional versatility, revealing how the coaching staff had to reinvent his role on the pitch.
“Uche is a kid who hadn’t played professional football, who had been playing as a central midfielder,” Bordalás told *Futbol Fantasy*.
“We had to adapt him as a striker in the first league game. And, well, from then on, he’s been playing closer to a striker than a central midfielder.
“We’ve been explaining to him that it’s a different position, that he had to be dynamic, play more facing forward, and he’s been understanding it and has been growing, obviously, as a footballer.”
Though previously named in Nigeria’s preliminary squad for World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, Uche did not make the final selection.
His consistent performances in Spain, however, could soon catch the attention of Nigeria’s national team selectors.
Getafe will now turn their attention to their next fixture, a home tie against Las Palmas, with Uche expected to play another key role.
