By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian striker Paul Onuachu was given a rousing reception upon his arrival in Turkey as he prepares to complete a permanent move to Trabzonspor.
The 31-year-old forward, who spent the 2023/24 season on loan at the Turkish club, scored an impressive 17 goals in 25 appearances during his spell with the Black Sea Storm.
Following a brief return to Southampton last season — where he netted four times in 25 games — the Saints confirmed last week that a deal had been agreed for Onuachu’s permanent transfer to Trabzonspor.
On Wednesday, a large crowd of passionate fans gathered to welcome Onuachu, with images shared on Trabzonspor’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle showing the striker being warmly received by club officials and later mobbed by enthusiastic supporters.
His return marks Trabzonspor’s second major signing of the summer following the acquisition of Joaquin Pina. Onuachu is expected to play a key role as the club looks to challenge for the Turkish Super Lig title in the upcoming season.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
