Turkish media reports suggest that Trabzonspor have intensified negotiations with Southampton in a bid to bring back Paul Onuachu.
Karadeniz Fırtınas, having strengthened their squad with 11 new signings, aims to complete their recruitment by securing a centre-forward to address their ongoing scoring difficulties.
The 30-year-old has been closely linked with a return to the Super Lig side following his loan spell with Trabzonspor last season, where he contributed to 21 goals in 25 games—scoring 17 and providing four assists.
Following the conclusion of his loan spell, Trabzonspor showed strong interest in securing the forward on a permanent basis. However, their initial bid of €7 million, along with €2 million in add-ons, was turned down by the English club.
Takvim reports that Trabzonspor may still have an opportunity to re-sign Onuachu. The Super Lig club have time on their side, as the Turkish transfer window does not close until mid-September.
The Turkish media outlet further reports that Onuachu’s agent has begun applying pressure on Southampton, informing the Premier League club that a resolution regarding his client's future is necessary. There are hopes that Southampton will relent and ultimately accept Trabzonspor’s offer.
Onuachu appears unlikely to feature in Southampton’s plans for this campaign
Despite having participated in preseason with Southampton, it’s becoming increasingly clear with the new season underway that Onuachu may not be in the club’s plans for 2024/25 season.
The Nigeria international was once again absent from the Saints' match-day squad for their recent clash against Nottingham Forest, continuing a trend from the previous week when he was also left out of the squad for their opener against Newcastle United.
Onuachu's repeated exclusions from the match-day squad raise questions about his future at the club.
With ongoing speculation and his current lack of involvement, it remains to be seen how his situation will evolve in the coming weeks.