Besiktas eyeing Super Eagles star to rival Ciro Immobile

Former Turkish Super Lig champions Besiktas have reignited their interest in Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu this January, Soccernet.ng reports.

Onuachu’s future has been a big topic for the past year due to his instability at Southampton. Recall that the 30-year-old striker joined Southampton from KRC Genk in January 2023 after an impressive four-year stint. However, he has failed to make a big impression. In his first season, his game time was limited, prompting him to leave to get more playing time.

The Super Eagles star joined Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor on a season-long loan, and he registered 17 goals and four assists in 24 games. At the end of the season, there were talks that the club wanted to acquire his services permanently, but they failed to present a suitable offer.

This season has been topsy-turvy for the former Genk man, as after struggling to get minutes at the start of the campaign, he seems to have found the favour of the current coach Ivan Juric. Onuachu has started all three of the Saints’ previous Premier League games.

Now, in a new development, per Mackolik, Besiktas are set to reignite their interest in Onuachu. This is not the first time they would be linked to Onuachu though. Both parties were linked last summer, but they failed to agree on terms. This time, Southampton would accept a lesser fee for the Nigerian striker, as his value has dropped to 11 million, per Transfermarkt.

If Besiktas can meet up with Southampton’s valuation, it could be a tempting deal for Onuachu. The Saints are serious relegation candidates, and Onuachu would obviously prefer to play top-level football.

However, he would have to battle with Italian striker Ciro Immobile for a starting shirt. Besiktas currently sit 6th in the Super Lig and are in a good position to still qualify for one of the European competitions.