Nigeria Players Abroad
Trabzonspor confirm ankle ligament injury for Paul Onuachu, miss start of TSL season

By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor have confirmed that Nigerian striker Paul Onuachu has sustained a partial ankle ligament injury, ruling him out of action for the opening matches of the 2025/26 league campaign.
Onuachu, who joined Trabzonspor following Southampton’s relegation, picked up the injury during a preseason friendly against Azerbaijani outfit Araz Nakhchivan.
The club released an official statement on Saturday, providing details of the setback.
“During the friendly match played by our First Team against Araz Nakhchivan PFK, our player Paul Onuachu was substituted due to an injury.
“Following a medical examination and MRI imaging, significant edema due to impact was detected in the bones of his left ankle, along with a partial injury to the ankle ligaments. Our medical team has started his treatment.”
The injury is a setback for Trabzonspor, who were counting on the Super Eagles forward to lead their attack heading into the new season.
The timeline for his recovery has not been officially confirmed, but he is expected to miss at least the opening fixtures of the campaign.
Onuachu made a notable impact during his initial loan spell at Trabzonspor, scoring consistently and quickly becoming a fan favorite.
The club finalized a permanent deal this summer in hopes of building their frontline around the towering striker.
His absence will force head coach Abdullah Avcı to reconsider his attacking options ahead of the season opener.