‘Brilliant’ Nigeria star Paul Onuachu returns to Southampton amidst Trabzonspor interest

Southampton manager Russell Martin has confirmed that Paul Onuachu is back in training with the club, even though a permanent move away this summer still seems likely, Soccernet.ng reports.

Onuachu spent last season on loan at Turkish club Trabzonspor, where he scored 17 goals in 25 appearances. The 30-year-old joined Southampton from Genk in January 2023, under then-manager Nathan Jones, but has only made 12 appearances for the Saints.

The Saints are hoping to sell Onuachu permanently, with several Turkish clubs, including Trabzonspor, expressing interest. However, no deal has been finalized yet.

Martin, after his team’s 7-1 friendly win at Eastleigh, said as per Daily Echo: 

“Paul is back now with us after a bit of an extended break. He had a brilliant season in Turkey, at a club that has a lot of affection for him now. So, we’ll have to wait and see.”

He continued: “They all have a chance while they’re back here. As the pre-season pans out, then they assess their situation in terms of what it looks like. Whether they’re going to be playing, if they’re going to be involved or not, then it will be a discussion between us and then we’ll wait and see.”

Martin emphasized: “But everyone who’s back here, genuinely, you have to have a chance. We haven’t got the biggest squad at the moment either. We have a lot of young guys involved at the moment, so they have a chance to stake their claim.”

Onuachu has a contract with Southampton until June 2026 but the Saints would be keen to recoup much of the €18 million they spent when acquiring him from KRC Genk.

Still, Onuachu might join Southampton for their trip to Spain on Sunday, where they will have a week-long training camp with two friendly matches.

The Saints will play against French teams Bordeaux and Montpellier before returning to complete their pre-season schedule in England in August.