Leonardo Ulloa returns to Brighton and Hove Albion
He’s back! Leonardo Ulloa has returned to Brighton and Hove on loan from Leicester City until the end of the season for a fee believed to be around £1m.
The Argentinian striker became a hugely popular player in his first spell at the Amex which lasted 18 months between January 2013 and July 2014, scoring 26 goals in 58 games as he fired the Albion to the Championship play offs in consecutive seasons.
His last goal for the club was one of the most memorable in Brighton history, that last minute header at Nottingham Forest which saw Oscar Garcia’s side sneak into the play offs with virtually the last kick of the season to spark wild scenes of celebration in the City Ground away end.
His form earned him a move to Leicester City were he notched 13 goals in 40 games as the Foxes pulled off a great escape from relegation. The following season he scored six times to help Leicester become Premier League champions but has gradually slid down the pecking order since under a succession of managers, featuring only four times from the bench for a grand total of 19 minutes so far this season.
Both Ulloa and Leicester had wanted a permanent deal but with no offers forthcoming, the Albion have swooped to land their man on loan.
Having gone from having no available strikers as recently as October, Chris Hughton now has Ulloa, record signing Jurgen Locadia, Glenn Murray, Sam Baldock and Tomer Hemed to choose from, although Hemed’s future at the club must surely now be in doubt as five forwards competing for one spot in a 4-4-1-1 seems like overkill. The Israeli was nearly sold to Cardiff City in the last transfer window.
Ulloa goes straight into the squad for Wednesday’s trip to Southampton. Given what he achieved during his previous spell with the club, expectation will be high but with the quality of wide man available to Hughton, the prospect of Ulloa getting onto the end of balls into the box from Solly March, Jose Izquierdo, Anthony Knockaert and Pascal Gross is nearly as mouth watering as the steak served in the restaurant that the striker is still involved in in the city.
One thing that will need some work is Ulloa’s song, given that he could be played in tandem with Glenn Murray.
We won’t mention O’Grady anymore, anyone?
