Super Eagles forward, Paul Onuachu, has confirmed he will remain at Trabzonspor, ending months of transfer speculation despite interest from Turkish rivals, Saudi Arabian clubs and sides in Germany, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
- +I belong in Trabzonspor, Onuachu rejects exit
Onuachu’s decision comes after a season in which he scored 22 goals in 30 Süper Lig matches to finish as joint-top scorer and helped Trabzonspor win the Turkish Cup, form that attracted some of the biggest clubs in Türkiye and beyond.
Onuachu’s decision comes after a season in which he scored 22 goals in 30 Süper Lig matches to finish as joint-top scorer and helped Trabzonspor win the Turkish Cup, form that attracted some of the biggest clubs in Türkiye and beyond.
Fenerbahçe reportedly tabled an offer worth €20m plus forward Oğuz Aydın, while Galatasaray, where compatriot Victor Osimhen plays, also joined the chase.
Beşiktaş were credited with interest as well, and Saudi Pro League clubs, Al-Ahli and Al Hilal, prepared substantial financial offers, with Trabzonspor reporting Al-Ahli to FIFA over an alleged approach made without the club’s permission. Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg and Werder Bremen also monitored the striker’s situation from Germany.
Despite the scale of interest, Onuachu said his commitment to Trabzonspor never wavered.
“There was interest from various sources. There were clubs from Türkiye that wanted me. There were very serious offers. However, my heart did not want to go anywhere other than Trabzon. The city, the fans and the atmosphere here give me a different feeling and courage,” Onuachu said.
The forward, who returned to Trabzonspor after leaving Southampton, said he had fought to complete that move and insisted the club was his only destination at the time.
“From the moment I arrived, this city gave me the feeling that this is where I belong. I worked very hard to rejoin, but in the end, the clubs are the decision-makers,” he said.
“If I left Southampton, it would either be Trabzonspor or nowhere at all. I always maintained this desire. I had a different connection with this place.”
Trabzonspor remain in a strong negotiating position, with Onuachu under contract until 2028. The club values him between €25m and €30m and has already turned down offers ranging from €11m to €20m.
Across all competitions last season, the 32-year-old registered 28 goals and two assists in 43 appearances for club and country, in addition to winning the Süper Lig Golden Boot and lifting the Turkish Cup, where he scored four goals in six games.
He also featured for Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, scoring once in five appearances as the Super Eagles claimed bronze.
