Paul Onuachu grabbed a brace as Trabzonspor recorded a comfortable three-nil victory over Instabulspor to solidify their quest for a UEFA Europa League slot.
Abdullah Avci’s side had earlier completed a home and away victory over Fatih Karagumruk in the Turkiye Kupasi semi-finals, cruising to a 7-2 aggregate win on Wednesday.
Trabzonspor returned to winning ways after slumping to a 3-1 defeat in the hands of Markus Gisdol’s Samunspor last Saturday at the Samsun 19 Mayıs Stadium.
Onuachu made his fifth consecutive appearance since returning from a one-month injury layoff when he was named in the starting line-up against Instabulspor. Having been involved in four goals and one assist in his previous three matches, the FC Ebedi product came into the game on the back of a rich vein of form.
Six minutes into the games, Onuachu had put the Black Sea Storm in the lead, sending the entire Papara Park into wild jubilation. In a twinkle of an eye, the lanky striker on loan from Southampton found the net to complete the brace in the 7th minute.
Edin Višća, who had set both goals up for Onuachu, went on to grab his third assist of the day by finding Thomas Meunier, four minutes after the restart.
This is Trabzonspor’s 19th win of the season in the Turkish top-flight and third in the last five games. Onuachu’s side are now a win away from securing a European competition slot. They are currently third on the log with 61 points from 36 games, while İstanbul Başakşehir and Beşiktaş are on 58 and 55 points respectively. Two more games left to play in the league this season.
Paul Onuachu one shy of 20 goal contributions
Onuachu, however, continues his comeback in Turkey with two goals against Instabulspor, which were his 14th and 15th of the season in all competitions. The Nigerian forward appears to have found his form again since joining Trabzonspor, although he is still on loan from The Saints following a disappointing time with the English team.
With four more assists this season, the lanky striker has helped the Turkish giants score 19 goals in 24 games. With Trabzonspor, he now has an excellent opportunity to win a trophy. Trabzonspor will play Besiktas in the Turkish Cup final after the latter team defeated Ankaragucu 1-0 on aggregate in the second semi-final match.
Onuachu’s future still shrouded in uncertainty
The future remains clouded for Nigerian striker Paul Onuachu as the curtain falls on the current season. Despite a highly impressive loan spell with Trabzonspor, the Turkish club faces a significant hurdle in securing his services permanently.
Onuachu's blistering form has ignited Trabzonspor's desire to hold onto him, but their financial limitations threaten to extinguish those flames. Southampton, his parent club, slapped a €13 million price tag on the 29-year-old, a figure Trabzonspor appear unable to match. This comes after the Saints themselves signed Onuachu for a hefty €21 million just under two years ago, and they seem unwilling to accept anything less than their valuation.
While Trabzonspor desperately want Paul Onuachu to spearhead their attack beyond this season, other options are emerging for the striker. Newly-promoted Turkish Super Lig side Goztepe, interestingly with shared ownership links to Southampton's directors, have recently been linked with a move for Onuachu.
However, his options might be further restricted as Trabzonspor reportedly monitor the situation of Kelechi Iheanacho, Onuachu's compatriot, who is set to become a free agent in the summer when his contract with Leicester City expires. This additional interest adds another layer of complexity to Onuachu's already uncertain future.
