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Tag: Onuachu

  • Onuachu future uncertain on return to Southampton training

    Onuachu future uncertain on return to Southampton training

    Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu is back in England training with Premier League club Southampton even though he is not sure where he will play in the new season.

    Onuachu shone on loan at Trabzonspor last season and the top Turkish team have been pushing to sign him on a permanent deal.

    Southampton manager Rusell Martin confirmed Onuachu’s return and will not rule out the striker staying put in England.

     “Paul is back now with us after a bit of an extended break,” Martin disclosed.

    “He had a brilliant season in Turkey, at a club that has a lot of affection for him now. So, we’ll have to wait and see.

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    “They all have a chance while they’re back here. They all have a chance. As the pre-season pans out, then they assess their situation in terms of what it looks like.

     “Whether they’re going to be playing, if they’re going to be involved or not, then it will be a discussion between us and then we’ll wait and see.”

    Martin added: “But everyone who’s back here, genuinely, you have to have a chance. We haven’t got the biggest squad at the moment either.

    “We have a lot of young guys involved at the moment, so they have a chance to stake their claim.”

  • Eagles Tracker: Onuachu, Boniface headlines Nigerian scorers in Europe

    Eagles Tracker: Onuachu, Boniface headlines Nigerian scorers in Europe

    Paul Onuachu has netted his 14th  league goal of the season for Trabzonspor in their 3-0 win over Istanbulspor in a Turkish Super Lig tie played yesterday.

    Onuachu who started his 20th  game of the season fired a sensational quick fire double in the sixth and seventh minute to cement Trabzonspor’s third spot on the log with 61 points from 36 games with two games to the end of the season.

    Still in Turkey, Kenneth Omeruo was on the bench for Kasimpasa in their 3-1 home win over Antalyaspor while Ibrahim Olawoyin featured in his 33rd game of the season for Rizespor who were beaten 2-1 at Pendikspor. Rizespor who are hoping to qualify for European club competition are still eighth with 49 points. Olawoyin has eight goals with three assists. David Akintola is another player of Rizespor.

    Fisayo Dele Bashiru bagged his 34th game of the season for Hatayspor in their 2-1 home win against Ankaragucu. The win keeps Hatayspor chances of staying in the topflight alive but are still 17th on the log with 37 points. Bashiru has six goals and five assists.

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    While Bright Osayi-Samuel came on for Fenerbahce in the 66th  minute for his 21st league game of the season in his club’s 3-0 home win over Kayserispor. The win helped to keep Fenerbahce’s slender hope of winning the league title alive. They are six points behind leaders, Galatasaray whom they visit next on Sunday, in the title deciding fixture of the season. Samuel has three goals, two assists and 10 yellow cards in the ongoing season.

    Meanwhile, Super Eagles defender, Kevin Akpoguma played the full time for Hoffenheim who annihilated Darmstadt 6-0 away. Akpoguma got his 16th  game of the season that has been blighted by injuries and the win helped Hoffenheim stay within European club competition slot in seventh spot with 43 points. They will face deposed champion, Bayern Munich in the last game of the season on Saturday.

    In Italy, Empoli were still without their Super Eagles defender, Tyrone Ebuehi in their 2-0 away loss to Lazio in Rome.

    While in Holland, former Flying Eagles star, Hamdi Akujobi had a commendable game for Almere City who were beaten 3-0 by Ajax Amsterdam at the Johan Cruyff Arena. Akujobi got a yellow card in the 10th  minute but he shrugged that to ensure the newly promoted Dutch Eredivisie side resisted a big defeat.

    Chuba Akpom got an assist in the win. He has played 24 games and scored 11 times for the former Dutch champions. Ajax have sealed up the fifth spot with 55 points from 33 games with just a league game to the end of the season while Akujobi’s Almere City are untroubled by relegation talks despite making their debut this season. They are 13th  with 34 points.

    In England, Joe Aribo’s Southampton and Semi Ajayi’s West Bromwich Albion met in the semi-final of the English Championship playoff with the game ending goalless at the Hawthorns. Aribo was available for the entire duration of the game in his 36th  game of the season with four goals. Ajayi was introduced in the 81st minute. It was his 27th  game of the season. He has netted twice.

    The return leg takes place at Southampton on Friday with the winner on aggregate proceeding to the Championship final billed for Wembley on May 26th

  • Onuachu gives up on Premier League dream

    Onuachu gives up on Premier League dream

    Paul Onuachu is ready to give up a chance to play in the Premier League in England next season to stay put at Turkish Super Lig club Trabzonspor.

    “I am very happy in Trabzon. Me and my family want to stay here,” the 29-year-old Onuachu told Fotomac last week

    It was a dream come true when the giant striker transferred to the Premier League in January 2023, but it all turned into a nightmare after Southampton were relegated to the Championship and he failed to make a mark.

    Read Also: EAGLES TRACKER: AFCON returning Simon, Onuachu, others hit form in Europe

    That prompted a loan switch to Turkey, where he has now fired nine goals and made three assists in 17 league appearances.

    Southampton are very much on track for a return to the Premier League as they are within the promotion playoffs bracket with four rounds of matches to the end of the regular season.

    In the meantime, Trabzonspor president Ertugul Dogan has said the club want to get the Super Eagles striker back on loan with an option to buy permanently thereafter.

  • EAGLES TRACKER: AFCON returning Simon, Onuachu, others hit form in Europe

    EAGLES TRACKER: AFCON returning Simon, Onuachu, others hit form in Europe

    Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye failed to secure his fourth clean sheet of the season for Udinese who were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Cagliari.

    Okoye who was the Man of the Match in Udinese’s 1-0 win in Turin against Juventus could not stop Gianluca Gaetano’s 44th  minute strike which drew Cagliari level after Jordan Zemura had put the home team in the ascendancy in the 14th  minute.

    His fellow compatriot, Isaac Success was introduced in the 79th  minute as Udinese are 15th  on the table with 23 points from 25 games.

    In Scotland, Cyriel Dessers and Glasgow Rangers returned to the top of the table again for the first time this season following their 3-0 away win at St. Johnstone.

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    Mohammed Diomande’s 37th minute strike was followed by Javier Tavernier’s double from the spot kick in the 79th  and 87th  minutes.

    Rangers are atop the Scottish Premiership with 64 points from 26 games two more points than Celtic who are the reigning champions.

    Dessers who had his 23rd  league game of the season with 10 goals thus far was introduced in the 69th  minute in place of Fabio Silva.

    For the first time since his return from the 2023 AFCON , Nantes striker Moses Simon was unable to rescue a point for his club who were beaten 2-0 by runaway league leaders, PSG at home.

    Luis Hernandez and Kylian Mbappe who scored from the spot, were the goals scorers for the visitors in the 60th and 78th minute.

    Simon was introduced in the 74th  minute in place of Egyptian striker, Mostafa Mohammed.

    Meanwhile in Turkey, Paul Onuachu was called upon by Trabzonspor two minutes from time in his club’s 2-0 away win at Pendikspor as he replaced Enis Destan who scored the club’s second goal in the 80th minute barely five minutes after Mahmoud Trezeguet’s opener.

  • Onuachu replaces injured Sadiq Umar

    Onuachu replaces injured Sadiq Umar

    The Super Eagles have officially announced that Trabzonspor striker Paul Onuachu has replaced injured Sadiq Umar on the AFCON squad.

    Onuachu, who scored Thursday night for his club in the Turkish Super Lig, has been on top form since his loan transfer to Turkey this season.

    Real Sociedad striker Sadiq Umar suffered a knee injury during the team’s AFCON warm-up match against Guinea in Dubai this week.

    Read Also: Real Sociedad complete Sadiq Umar  signing

    He will now return to his Spanish base for further assessment.

    The striker becomes the third major casualty suffered by the Eagles leading up to the AFCON.

    Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City and Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface have also been ruled out of the tournament by injury.

  • Southampton may recall Onuachu

    Southampton may recall Onuachu

    Southampton may be fully-focused on their promotion push as they prepare to leave the international break, but they will also need an eye on the upcoming January transfer window.

    Head coach Russell Martin may need to strengthen his squad, especially with the likelihood that there will be clubs looking at his most in-form players from top European leagues.

    After failing to make an impact in the Premier League following his £15.8m move from Genk in January, Paul Onuachu was shipped out to Trabzonspor of Turkey on loan in September, with the Nigeria international not in Russell Martin’s plans.

    Read Also: Onuachu just can’t stop scoring in Turkey

    It was always expected to occur as the towering target man did not fit the style of play that Martin was looking to play, but with six goals in eight Super Lig appearances so far, the 29-year-old has been showing his goalscoring instinct that has clearly always been there.

    And reports are now suggesting that Southampton may keep hold of Onuachu as somewhat of a ‘Plan B’ option if they return to the Premier League via promotion next year, and Trabzonspor are reportedly already looking at their next options up-front, which include 21-year-old striker Enis Destan.

    It would be an unlikely comeback to the Saints for Onuachu if he were to be reintegrated into the squad, but he’s definitely showing what he is all about out in Turkey.

  • Onuachu just can’t stop scoring in Turkey

    Onuachu just can’t stop scoring in Turkey

    Paul Onuachu scored for fun in Belgium and now he is doing the same in Turkey, where today he fired his third goal in as many matches for Trabzonspor to beat promoted Pendikspor 2-1.

    Onuachu, who is on a season-long loan from Southampton, opened scoring as early as the third minute when he thundered home a powerful header from a corner.

    Read Also: Onuachu targets goals with Trabzonspor

    He has most certainly put behind a nightmare in the Premier League during which he failed to score or even provide an assist for Southampton to be relegated.

    Two seasons ago, he was the top scorer in Belgium.

  • Onuachu targets goals with Trabzonspor

    Onuachu targets goals with Trabzonspor

    Paul Onuachu has vowed to fight for glory with Trabzonspor after he and his wife enjoyed a rousing welcome in Turkey.

    The Super Eagles striker has agreed a season-long loan transfer to Trabzonspor from Southampton.

     “We are here to fight for this badge, to fight for the championship, to reach our targets,” Onuachu said.“I will do my best to score goals. 

    Read Also: Trabzonspor join race to sign Onuachu

    “I spoke to the coach. He said very nice things about the team and the club. I can’t wait to be with my team too.”

    He said he was  happy to be in Turkey after the last few “stressful” days as he tried to finalise the transfer.

    Despite a late arrival at Trabzon by private jet, Onuachu and wife, both sporting Trabzonspor jerseys, were received by a big crowd at the airport.

  • Trabzonspor join race to sign Onuachu

    Trabzonspor join race to sign Onuachu

    Turkish club Trabzonspor have agreed in principle with Southampton on the transfer of Paul Onuachu.

    It is reported that Trabzonspor will give a player to Goztepe, who have a stake in Southampton, as part of this transaction.

    The Anakara-based club have already signed Nicolas Pepe from Arsenal and Super Eagles winger Emmanuel Dennis has widely been linked with them as well.

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    Onuachu’s former club Genk gave up on re-signing the 29-year-old striker Wednesday, when the Belgian transfer window closed.

    The Belgian club said Southampton made additional demands in respect of the transfer and so they opted out.

  • Turkish Trabzonspor woo Onuachu  from Saints

    Turkish Trabzonspor woo Onuachu  from Saints

    Pained by his inability to sign for FC Metz on transfer deadline day and seeing a move back to KRC Genk collapse at the last minute, Paul Onuachu is lucky enough to be on the radar of Turkish side just as  he is ready to quit Southampton.

    The Nigeria international has failed to live up to the hype surrounding his January transfer to St Mary’s and an exit this summer was sought.

    Despite some clubs being interested, nothing ever happened, but the Southampton flop is lucky enough that some transfer windows are still open, like the one in Turkey, where Trabzonspor are interested, according to Fanatik.

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    The outlet explained the Süper Lig side are still looking for a striker, as they have until September 15th to sign someone, and despite initially wanting to go for Fulham’s Carlos Vinicius, they never found an agreement.

    That’s when they started to look for alternatives, which led them to Paul Onuachu, and ‘contact has been made’ to try and save him from his Southampton nightmare.

    However, with the Saints having paid €18m for him, the chances of a full transfer taking place are slim to none, and that’s why the idea of a loan is far likelier to succeed.

    They explain the striker ‘wants to play’, which we assume means he is happy to go to Turkey to get some minutes under his belt, and the belief is the move is ‘expected to be finalised this week’.