By Dayo Awoniyi
Paul Onuachu’s possible return to Trabzonspor is gathering pace amid reports of financial constraints at Southampton following their relegation from the Premier League.
Onuachu enjoyed a prolific loan spell at the Turkish club last season, netting 17 goals in 25 appearances. However, a permanent deal failed to materialize due to Southampton’s high valuation of the Nigerian striker.
With the English club now facing the financial strain of dropping to the Championship, Trabzonspor may find renewed leverage in their pursuit of the 29-year-old, who has just one year left on his current contract with the Saints.
Trabzonspor are also keeping tabs on Sporting Braga loanee Simon Banza, who has been in red-hot form this season with 20 goals and five assists.
Banza has expressed interest in remaining in Turkey, but his €20 million price tag—set by Braga last summer—could pose a significant challenge.
The Turkish side will need to carefully assess their options between re-signing Onuachu, a proven fit within their system, or investing in Banza, who may require a club-record fee.
Meanwhile, Besiktas have entered the race for Onuachu’s signature, reportedly preparing a two-year contract offer for the Super Eagles forward.
Southampton’s stance on the player remains uncertain, but with interest mounting, Onuachu’s future is expected to be one of the key storylines of the upcoming summer transfer window.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
