Paul Onuachu

Ebere Paul Onuachu listenⓘ (born 28 May 1994) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Süper Lig club Trabzonspor on loan from EFL Championship club Southampton and the Nigeria national team.[1]

Paul Onuachu
Onuachu training with Genk in 2019
Personal information
Full name Ebere Paul Onuachu[1]
Date of birth (1994-05-28) 28 May 1994
Place of birth Owerri, Nigeria[1]
Height 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Trabzonspor
(on loan from Southampton)
Number 30
Youth career
Ebedei
2012 Midtjylland
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2019 Midtjylland 134 (51)
2015 → Vejle (loan) 13 (5)
2019–2023 Genk 114 (79)
2023– Southampton 11 (0)
2023– → Trabzonspor (loan) 5 (3)
International career‡
2019– Nigeria 18 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:47, 23 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:08, 24 March 2023 (UTC)

Onuachu has won League titles in Denmark and Belgium, and while in the latter country was voted Belgian Footballer of the Year and won the country's top scoring Golden Bull trophy.

Club career

Midtjylland

Onuachu moved to Danish club FC Midtjylland in 2012 on a scholarship from their affiliate team in Nigeria, Ebedei.[2] He was a prolific scorer for their youth team, and made his first-team debut in the Cup later that year, before making his league debut in December 2012.[2] In June 2013 he signed a new three-year contract with the club,[3] before extending it for a further three-years in August 2015.[4] In early 2015 he was loaned to Vejle BK, before returning to FC Midtjylland ahead of the 2015–16 season.[5]

Onuachu helped Midtjylland to the Danish Superliga title twice, in 2015 and 2018, and scored the winner against Manchester United in Midtjylland's home last-32 first-leg of the 2015-16 UEFA Europa League,[6][7] but two goals from United debutant Marcus Rashford in the second-leg a week later at Old Trafford saw the English side win 5-1 on the night and 6-3 on aggregate.[8]

Racing Genk

In August 2019 he signed for then reigning Belgian Pro League champions Genk, who had just appointed Felice Mazzù as coach.[9] At 2.01m tall, Onuachu was seen as being an "atypical" transfer.[10] Onauchu made his debut on 1 September 2019 as a late stoppage-time substitute in a 1-1 draw against Club Brugge,[11] and would score in his next two league games, starting in both a 1-2 defeat against Sporting Charleroi[12] and 3-1 win over Oostende.[13]

Onuachu's second full season at Genk would prove spectacular, finishing top scorer with 33 league goals (35 in all competitions), winning him the Golden Bull for leading Belgian Pro League goalscorer, a feat that saw him named Pro League Player of the Year for 2020-21,[14][15] and 2021 Belgian Golden Shoe winner for the best footballer of the calendar year.[16] Onuachu also won the Ebony Shoe for best African player in Belgium for 2020-21.[17]

Onuachu scored against all 17 league opponents, netting in four of the six Champions Play-Off games, helping propel Genk to runners-up spot in the Belgian Pro League for 2020-21, and winning the 2021 Belgian Cup Final 2-1 against Standard Liege. His haul of 33 goals was the highest in the Belgian top flight since Erwin Vandenbergh's European Golden Boot-winning 39-goal campaign for Lierse in 1980,[18][19] and broke Wesley Sonck's one-season Genk club goals record of 30, set in 2002-03.[20]

The following season saw Genk's league form suffer due to early-season defensive frailty as Cup-winning coach John van den Brom was sacked mid-season and replaced by Bernd Storck. Genk reached the European play-offs, finishing behind Gent in the table, finishing sixth overall. Onuachu was third-highest scorer in the league for 2021-22 with 21 goals, behind Deniz Undav of Union St-Gilloise on 26 and Michael Frey of Royal Antwerp on 24.[21]

In scoring four goals against Sporting Charleroi on 4 November 2022, Onuachu became the first Genk player to achieve this feat since Sonck, in 2003.[22][23] Onuachu scored 16 league goals for Genk up to the end of January 2023, with Racing ten points clear of Union St-Gilloise at the top of the Belgian Pro League. After expressing frustration previously at being unable to secure a move to one of the five richest European leagues, Onuachu said at the start of January 2023 he was determined to help Genk stay top and win the title.[24] Onuachu scored twice in his final game for Genk, a 4-0 win over bottom club Seraing, to once more propel him to top spot in the Pro League scoring charts, as finally a major bid was made for the Nigerian striker from a club in a major league.[25]

Southampton

On 1 February 2023, Onuachu swapped title-chasing Genk for relegation-threatened Premier League club Southampton on a three-and-a-half-year contract.[26][27] On 4 February 2023, Onuachu made his first Premier League appearance for Southampton in a 3–0 defeat against Brentford, replacing Mohamed Elyounoussi at half-time.[28]

On 11 September 2023, Onuachu joined Trabzonspor on a season-long loan.[29][30] He scored on his debut for the club on 17 September 2023 in a 3–0 victory against Besiktas.[31]

International career

Onuachu was called up to the Nigeria under-23 national team in February 2015.[32] In March 2019 he received his first call-up to the Nigerian senior team.[33]

On 26 March 2019, Onuachu scored his first goal for Nigeria in a friendly match against Egypt. The goal was scored within the first ten seconds of the game, and the fastest ever scored for Nigeria.[34] Following the goal Onuachu was heralded as the "toast of Nigerian football", with "his coach, team-mates, journalists and fans talking about him".[35] He was selected to the Nigeria squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.[36] He played in Nigeria's 1–0 win over Burundi,[37] as the Super Eagles reached the semi-finals, losing 2-1 to Algeria in the last four,[38] then beating Tunisia 1-0 in the bronze-medal match.

Career statistics

Club
As of 23 October 2023[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Midtjylland 2012–13 Danish Superliga 1010——20
2013–14 Danish Superliga 11010——120
2014–15 Danish Superliga 1012220—143
2015–16 Danish Superliga 25621102—379
2016–17 Danish Superliga 35173362114523
2017–18 Danish Superliga 22103364—3117
2018–19 Danish Superliga 30174362—4022
Total 13451161230101118174
Vejle (loan) 2014–15 Danish 1st Division 13500——135
Genk 2019–20 Belgian Pro League 2291150—2810
2020–21 Belgian Pro League 383332——4135
2021–22 Belgian Pro League 352100721[lower-alpha 1]04323
2022–23 Belgian Pro League 19163100002217
Total 11479741221013485
Southampton 2022–23[39] Premier League 11000——110
2023–24[40] Championship 0000—1[lower-alpha 2]010
Total 11000—10120
Trabzonspor (loan) 2023–24 Süper Lig 5300——53
Career total 2771382316421231345167
  1. Appearance in Belgian Super Cup
  2. Appearance in EFL League Cup

International
As of match played 24 March 2023[41]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Nigeria 201971
202020
202172
202210
202310
Total183
Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Onuachu goal.
List of international goals scored by Paul Onuachu[41]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
126 March 2019Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Nigeria Egypt1–01–0Friendly
227 March 2021Stade Charles de Gaulle, Porto-Novo, Benin Benin1–01–02021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
330 March 2021Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, Nigeria Lesotho3–03–02021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Honours

Midtjylland[42]

Genk

Nigeria

Individual

References
  1. Paul Onuachu at Soccerway. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  2. "Profile" (in Danish). FC Midtjylland. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  3. "FCM forlænger med unge boblere" (in Danish). Bold. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  4. Martin Dons (4 August 2015). "FC Midtjylland forlænger med Onuachu" (in Danish). FC Midtjylland. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  5. Kenneth Jensen (16 October 2015). "FCM-træner: Angriber kan blive et af FCM's største salg nogensinde" (in Danish). Tipsbladet. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  6. Jamie Jackson (18 February 2016). "Midtjylland strike back to humiliate Manchester United and Louis van Gaal". Guardian. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  7. James Gray (19 February 2016). "Manchester United mocked by Midtjylland goalscorer". Daily Express. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  8. Paul Wilson (25 February 2016). "Manchester United see off Midtjylland with Marcus Rashford's debut double". Guardian. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  9. "Officielt: Onuachu slutter sig til Joakim Mæhle". bold.dk.
  10. "Genk stelt middenvelder en boomlange spits voor: "Atypische transfers" (Genk presents midfielder and tall striker: "Atypical transfers")". Sporza (in Dutch). 27 August 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  11. "Kansenfestival in Jan Breydel eindigt met een gelijkspel (Festival of Chance in Jan Breydel ends with a draw)". Sporza (in Dutch). 1 September 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  12. "Charleroi draait het Racing Genk van ex-coach Mazzu een loer (Charleroi play a trick on the Racing Genk of ex-coach Mazzu)". Sporza (in Dutch). 13 September 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  13. "Genk herpakt zich na CL-pandoering, maar zit nog niet in kampioenenmodus (Genk recovering after CL hammering, but is not yet in champion mode)". Sporza (in Dutch). 21 September 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  14. "Topschutter Paul Onuachu is verkozen tot Profvoetballer van het Jaar (Top scorer Paul Onuachu has been voted Professional Footballer of the Year)". Sporza (in Dutch). 24 May 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  15. "Onuachu: Genk forward wins Belgian Pro League Player of the Year and Golden Boot award". Goal.com. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  16. "Paul Onuachu verslaat Club-duo Lang en De Ketelaere voor Gouden Schoen (Paul Onuachu beats Club duo Lang and De Ketelaere for the Golden Shoe)". Sporza (in Dutch). 12 January 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  17. "Paul Onuachu doet er met de Ebbenhouten Schoen nog een trofee bij (Paul Onuachu adds another trophy with the Ebony Shoe)". Sporza (in Dutch). 7 June 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  18. "Onuachu's 34th goal of the season salvages draw for Racing Genk against Anderlecht". All Nigeria Soccer. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  19. "32 goals in 36 league matches: Onuachu continues to rewrite history in Belgium". brila.net. 13 May 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  20. "Racing Genk goal machine Onuachu sets two new club records after 33rd goal of season". All Nigeria Soccer. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  21. "Grading Moffi, Osimhen & Nigeria's strikers this season". goal.com. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  22. "Paul Onuachu gidst Genk met vierklapper (!) probleemloos voorbij Charleroi (Paul Onuachu guides Genk past Charleroi without any problems with a quad (!))". Sporza (in Dutch). 4 November 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  23. "OptaJohan on Twitter". Twitter: OptaJohan. 4 November 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  24. "Na een topjaar legt Paul Onuachu de lat nog hoger in 2023: "Ik wil Genk verlaten als kampioen" (After a top year, Paul Onuachu sets the bar even higher in 2023: "I want to leave Genk as champion")". Sporza (in Dutch). 7 January 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  25. "Genk laat doelpuntenmachine vier keer draaien tegen rode lantaarn Seraing (Genk turns on the goal machine four times against red lantern Seraing)". Sporza (in Dutch). 29 January 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  26. "Saints seal Onuachu deal". Southampton FC. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  27. "Kamaldeen Sulemana: Southampton pay club-record £22m for Rennes winger". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  28. Rindl, Joe (4 February 2023). "Brentford 3–0 Southampton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  29. "Onuachu joins Trabzonspor on loan". Southampton FC. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  30. "Southampton striker Onuachu joins Trabzonspor on loan". BBC Sport. 11 September 2023.
  31. House, Alfie (18 September 2023). "Southampton's Onuachu takes just 30 minutes to score Trabzonspor goal". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  32. Kolade Oni (17 February 2015). "Siasia picks 21 players for Gabon game". Tipsbladet. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  33. Oluwashina Okeleji (4 March 2019). "John Mikel Obi: Nigeria captain left out of Super Eagles squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  34. "Nigeria's fastest international goal helps them beat Egypt". BBC Sport. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  35. Oluwashina Okeleji (27 March 2019). "The spotlight in Nigeria falls on Paul Onuachu after his 10 second goal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  36. "AFCON 2019: Onuachu happy to make Super Eagles squad". 16 May 2019.
  37. Silas, Don (23 June 2019). "Nigeria vs Burundi: Why I didn't start Ighalo in Super Eagles' 1-0 win - Rohr". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  38. Jonathan Wilson (14 July 2019). "Riyad Mahrez strike sinks Nigeria and puts Algeria in Afcon final". Guardian. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  39. "Games played by Paul Onuachu in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  40. "Games played by Paul Onuachu in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  41. "Paul Onuachu". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  42. "Soccer-Dal Hende fires Midtjylland to Danish title". Reuters. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  43. "Onuachu with an assist as Genk clinch Belgian Cup title after Standard Liege win". Goal. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  44. "Tunisia 0–1 Nigeria". BBC. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  45. "Paul Onuachu: Nigeria striker scoops two awards in Belgium". BBC. 25 May 2021.
  46. "Topschutter Paul Onuachu is verkozen tot Profvoetballer van het Jaar". SPORZA. 25 May 2021.
  47. "Paul Onuachu verslaat Club-duo Lang en De Ketelaere voor Gouden Schoen". SPORZA. 12 January 2022.
  48. Africa Facts Zone [@AfricaFactsZone] (28 August 2021). "Paul Onuachu and Clinton Mata were included in the 2020/2021 Belgian Jupiler Pro League Golden Eleven" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 December 2022 – via Twitter.
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