Transfers: Onuachu’s return to former club hit block after latest development

Paul Onuachu has been linked with a move away from Southampton this summer just seven months after joining the club from Belgian club KRC Genk

Nigerian striker Paul Onuachu’s return to his former Belgian club KRC Genk this summer has hit a stumbling block, Soccernet.ng reports

The 29-year-old joined Southampton in a £18m move in January but has failed to get going with the club, making only 12 appearances and registering no goal in his first half-season with the club.

The former Midtjylland striker’s case at St Mary’s Stadium has worsened this season after he was left out of the squad of the club’s first three matches of the Championship season, and their Carabao Cup first-round 3-1away defeat at Gillingham three weeks ago.

Southampton are undergoing the process of rebuilding their squad in the ongoing transfer window after seeing the departures of Mohammed Elyounoussi and Mislav Orsic, with the club hoping to add new attackers before the end of the window.

They are also keen on offloading Onuachu, whom they deem unsettled at St. Mary’s Stadium, and have identified Genk and Ghanaian forward Joseph Paintsil as his replacement this summer. Both the Saints and Genk were in talks to work on a swap deal involving Onuachu and Pantsil.

But now it is suggested that both players have rejected such a move and any possible deal between the two clubs is on the rocks, as reported by the Athletic.

The 29-year-old last featured for the Super Eagles in their 1-0 home defeat to Guinea Bissau in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture last March.