Paul Onuachu: Why Fenerbahce want Nigerian striker despite poor Trabzonspor form

Paul Onuachu may be struggling to reproduce his prolific goalscoring form at Trabzonspor this season, but his reputation in Turkey remains strong enough for people close to Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yıldırım to joke about taking the Nigerian striker away, Afrik-Foot reports.

Turkish pundit Özden Ayvaz revealed that friends in Istanbul close to Yıldırım have repeatedly joked with him about Trabzonspor handing over the Super Eagles forward.

The comments come at an interesting time for Onuachu, who has scored only twice in eight appearances for Trabzonspor this season.

His current numbers are a significant drop from last season, when the 32-year-old finished with 22 goals and two assists in 30 Süper Lig appearances.

Why Fenerbahce still want Paul Onuachu

Onuachu has already proved himself in Turkey

The first reason is that his current struggles do not erase what he has already achieved in the Süper Lig.

Onuachu’s 2025/26 campaign was the second-best league goalscoring season of his career in Turkey. That was not an isolated burst either.

During his first spell at Trabzonspor in 2023/24, the Nigerian scored 15 goals and supplied four assists in just 21 league appearances. He returned to England with Southampton, where he managed only four Premier League goals in 25 appearances before returning permanently to Trabzonspor.

Across his two full league campaigns for Trabzonspor, Onuachu has produced 37 goals in 51 appearances.

That history helps explain why his present form may not completely change how he is viewed in Turkey.

His current numbers tell a different story

There is, however, little argument that Onuachu’s start to the 2026/27 campaign has been below the standard he set last season.

In six Süper Lig appearances and 432 minutes, Onuachu has scored two goals and provided no assists.

More importantly, both goals arrived in the same match. Onuachu scored twice against Gençlerbirliği, but has failed to find the net in his other league appearances. He was left on the bench for Trabzonspor’s 4-0 win over Galatasaray on September 19 before entering the match with 31 minutes remaining.

That is a considerable change from last season, when he scored 22 goals and started 28 of Trabzonspor’s 30 league matches.

Why does Fenerbahçe still value him?

Ayvaz’s comments suggest that Onuachu’s reputation as a proven Turkish-league goalscorer remains intact despite his current numbers.

“He’s a great goalscorer, but the truth is he’s out of form,” Ayvaz said, before questioning whether there was a contractual clause requiring Trabzonspor to play him in every match.

The pundit nevertheless praised the Nigerian’s attitude and finishing ability, saying: “I really like Onuachu’s goalscoring ability and his demeanour on the field.”

That distinction is important. The comments do not establish that Fenerbahçe have made an official approach for Onuachu. Instead, Ayvaz said friends close to Yıldırım jokingly tell him: “Just give us Onuachu…” and claimed they recognise the value of Trabzonspor’s players.

Still, the joke works precisely because Onuachu has already demonstrated what he can offer in Turkey.

His 2.01m frame, aerial ability, penalty-box presence and proven finishing make him a striker whose value cannot be judged solely by an eight-game sample.

Onuachu has a reputation to rebuild

The challenge for the Nigerian now is to make his current season look more like an early blip than the beginning of a sustained decline.

Last season’s 22 goals established an extremely high benchmark, while his two goals this campaign leave him well behind that pace.

With Trabzonspor’s next league match scheduled for October 10, the international break provides Onuachu with time to work on recovering the sharpness that made him so influential last season.

For now, the Fenerbahçe comments are better understood as a reflection of the Nigerian’s standing in Turkish football than confirmation of a transfer pursuit.