Kalu Uche returns to La Liga with Levante

LEVANTE have officially announced the signing of experienced Nigerian forward, Kalu Uche, who joins the club on an initial contract until June of this year, though with an option to extend that for another season, if the move works out well for the player and the Valencian side.

  Older brother of Villarreal striker, Ikechukwu Uche, Kalu will now reside a short distance away from his sibling, whilst Levante are hopeful that his past experience in La Liga will provide a significant boost to their side, as they battle to avoid relegation from the Spanish top-flight.

 The first taste of Spanish football for Kalu Uche didn’t work out as hoped, when he was a raw young talent looking to make his name in European football with Espanyol, where he featured for their B team, but couldn’t break through to the first-team. After a year he moved to Polish side Wisla Krakow and as his reputation grew, he also spent a season on loan at French outfit Bordeaux.

  Opting for a return to Spain, he joined Almería for the 2007/08 season and settled well on the south coast, remaining with the club for a total of four campaigns, making 123 appearances and scoring 28 goals. At the end of the 2010/11 season, however and with Almería relegated from the Primera, Kalu made a switch to Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax, scoring six goals in 14 encounters. The lure of a return to La Liga was too good to resist however and after just half a season, he returned to Espanyol in January 2012 and scored five goals in 15 appearances.