AC Milan are preparing to challenge Wolves in the race to sign Getafe’s Nigerian star Christantus Uche, just as the Premier League club looked close to securing his signature, Soccernet.ng reports.
Wolves had reached an agreement worth around €20m (£17m) with Getafe, including personal terms, for the 22-year-old attacking midfielder.
The move seemed on track over the last few days, with the Spanish club needing to sell in order to ease Financial Fair Play concerns.
But the transfer has been complicated by late interest from AC Milan. Rossoneri sporting director Geoffrey Moncada was spotted in Seville on Sunday night during Getafe’s clash with Sevilla, where he was reportedly keeping close watch on Uche.
Milan, fresh from waving away the transfer of Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface, are weighing up a counter-offer for Uche. The Italian giants are keen to strengthen their attacking options after completing the €24m signing of Sporting Lisbon forward Conrad Harder.
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The development has left Wolves’ pursuit of Uche in jeopardy.
Telegraph's John Percy reported that Getafe are stalling on finalising the agreement with the Molineux club, pending Milan’s decision. Nigerian journalist Buchi Laba also confirmed Milan had contacted Getafe directly about Uche, with the player willing to consider both options.
Uche, capped by Nigeria in May, is highly regarded for his creativity and ability to operate as a number 10. Last season, he scored four goals and contributed six assists in La Liga, further raising his profile across Europe. Serie A side Como have also been linked, though Wolves had appeared to be leading the race until Milan’s intervention.
The midfielder declined to comment when approached by reporters ahead of Getafe’s match against Sevilla, responding only with a smile and a thumbs up before boarding the team bus.
Wolves are desperate to add firepower after a lacklustre start to their Premier League campaign, with their attack criticised for being short of cutting edge. Losing out on Uche at this stage would leave the club under intense pressure to find an alternative forward before the transfer window closes next week.
Despite ongoing talks with AC Milan and Wolves, Christantus Uche was named in Getafe’s starting lineup for the clash against Sevilla.
