Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu has finally put months of transfer speculation to rest, confirming that he has no intention of leaving Trabzonspor this summer. As a result, one of the most talked-about transfer sagas in Turkish football appears to have reached its conclusion.
The 32-year-old’s decision comes despite a string of lucrative offers from rival clubs in Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Germany. Meanwhile, his stock had risen sharply following the best season of his career, in which he scored 22 goals in 30 Süper Lig matches to finish as the league’s joint-top scorer, while also inspiring Trabzonspor to Turkish Cup glory.
Consequently, some of Turkish football’s heavyweights entered the race for his signature. Fenerbahçe reportedly tabled an official €20 million offer, sweetened with forward Oğuz Aydın, in an attempt to prise him away from Trabzonspor.
Galatasaray, where fellow Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen plays, also joined the pursuit, with reports suggesting Osimhen was expected to help convince his international teammate to make the move to the reigning champions.
However, interest did not stop there. Beşiktaş were also credited with interest in the striker, while Saudi Pro League clubs Al-Ahli and Al Hilal prepared massive financial packages, with Al-Ahli reportedly ready to multiply his salary four or five times over. In addition, Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, and Werder Bremen were all said to be monitoring his situation from Germany.
Despite the scale of the interest, Onuachu made his stance clear, declaring that “this is where I belong.” He went on to explain that although several clubs made very serious offers, his heart never wanted to leave Trabzon, pointing to the city, the fans, and the atmosphere as giving him a feeling and courage he could not find elsewhere.
Furthermore, he revealed that he had fought hard to rejoin the club after his spell at Southampton, insisting it was always his only intended destination, and describing his return as something close to fate that he never stopped believing in.
Trabzonspor remain in a strong negotiating position, given that Onuachu is under contract until 2028. The club values him between €25 million and €30 million and has already rejected offers ranging from €11 million to €20 million, refusing to strengthen domestic rivals unless their valuation is met.
Consequently, unless a club is willing to break the bank, Onuachu looks set to remain a Trabzonspor player, with focus now shifting to how he builds on last season’s Golden Boot-winning form.
