Trabzonspor and Super Eagles' striker, Paul Onuachu, has resumed training with his club following a one-month absence due to injury.
Onuachu fractured his arm during his club's 1-0 win over win over Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday, February 28. The 29-year-old forward was participating in his third game, marking his first starting appearance since returning from international duty.
Onuachu was a member of the Super Eagles' team that helped Nigeria to a second place finish at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) in Ivory Coast.
Initially excluded from Jose Peseiro's final AFCON squad, Onuachu later earned a spot in the team as a replacement for Sadiq Umar, who was deemed medically unfit for the tournament.
He was only brought on as a substitute in the four games in which he featured for the beaten finalist during the campaign.
How many games did Paul Onuachu miss during his absence?
The burly striker has already missed three league games, against Alanyaspor, Fatih Karagumruk, and Fenerbahce in March.
Reports from the Turkish media suggest that the Nigerian international participated in training with his arm strapped, casting doubt on his availability for Trabzonspor's upcoming match away to 16th-placed Konyaspor.
What were Paul Onuachu's stats for Trabzonspor before his Injury?
Before his injury, Onuachu had scored nine goals and registered three assists for the Turkish side. Onuachu is on loan from the EFL Championship side, Southampton.
Onuachu made the move to Southampton from Belgian club Genk in 2023, following a string of impressive goal-scoring performances. He had netted 79 goals in 114 appearances for Genk prior to his transfer.
At Southampton, Onuachu's fortunes took a downturn as he struggled for form with the Saints during a season that saw the English side relegated from the Premier League to the Championship.
Can Paul Onuachu's injury return boost Trabzonspor's European bid?
The Karadeniz Fırtınası currently holds the third position on the Turkish Süper Lig table, with a three-point lead over Besiktas.
They aim to conclude the season strongly to secure their UEFA Europa League berth, having missed out on a place in next season's Champions League.
The return of Onuachu from injury could potentially bolster their efforts in achieving this goal. According to reports, the Turkish outfit have resolved not to make the Nigerian's move permanent due to the high demand from his parent club.
Trabzonspor are monitoring Ukrainian Roman Yaremchuk as their alternative should they fail to secure a permanent deal for Onuachu.
What is Southampton's asking price for Paul Onuachu?
Reportedly, Southampton has set an asking price of €12 million (£10.3 million) for the striker, while Trabzonspor is prepared to offer €10 million (£8.6 million).
This move by Southampton aims to recover a significant portion of the £18 million fee they spent to acquire him a year ago.
The striker's stint with the Saints got off to a disappointing start, with no goals scored in his 11 league outings as the club suffered relegation to the Championship last season.
