Former Turkish Süper Lig champions to make second offer for Super Eagles forward

The winter transfer window in Turkey does not close until February 8, and clubs are racing to complete their dealings before the deadline

One-time Turkish league champions Istanbul Başakşehir have contacted Greek giants Olympiakos to sign Nigerian forward Henry Onyekuru on a loan deal until the end of the season.

Başakşehir had their initial offer for Onyekuru rejected, but NTV Spor claims that the 2020 Süper Lig winners are ready to present an improved bid for the former Monaco winger. 

Onyekuru only joined Olympiakos in the summer, but he has failed to settle in Greece, where he has managed a goal and an assist in 21 matches.

The former Everton signing was a member of the Nigerian squad to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, but he made little impact in Cameroon as the Super Eagles exited the tournament at the first knockout round.

Nevertheless, Onyekuru, it would be recalled, played some of his best football in Turkey, taking in three loan spells at Galatasaray and winning the Süper Lig and Turkish Cup in 2019.

And many in that country still rate him highly despite his struggles in Greece. And following the sale of Bosnian winger Edin Visca to Trabzonspor, Başakşehir’s manager Emre Belözoğlu has identified Onyekuru as the ideal replacement.

Başakşehir has another Nigerian midfielder Azubuike Okechukwu on their payroll, but he is currently on a season-long loan spell at Yeni Malatyaspor.