Trabzonspor has turned down an €11m bid from a Saudi Arabian club for Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu. This is the second offer from a Gulf club this year as the Turkish team wants a price that reflects Onuachu’s true value, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
The offer, reported by Turkish news outlet Takagazete, does not meet Trabzonspor’s asking price for the 32-year-old player. Last season, Onuachu had one of the best individual performances in the Turkish Süper Lig.
Earlier this year, Saudi side Al-Ahli made a different offer that was also rejected. The latest bid from the unnamed club has now faced the same result.
Onuachu deserves a higher value based on his performance last season. He was one of the top scorers in the Süper Lig with 22 goals, sharing the top spot with Uzbekistan’s Eldor Shomurodov. He became only the sixth Trabzonspor player to achieve this feat.
He won the Süper Lig Goal of the Season award for an amazing overhead kick against Fatih Karagumruk. He also played a key role in the Turkish Cup, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win over Konyaspor in the final in May.
This week, Trabzonspor president Ertuğrul Doğan confirmed that the club has received bids for seven players in the current transfer window. They expect to sell one or two players, and Onuachu is among those being considered for sale at the right price.
The most important clue about Onuachu’s future comes from head coach Fatih Tekke. Reports say that Tekke is open to letting Onuachu go and is looking for a more agile striker. He wants a forward who can press from the front and help the team defend when needed.
This description highlights what Onuachu is not. Standing at 201 centimeters, he is great in the air, has smart movement in the box, and is a precise finisher. He does not fit the profile of a high-press forward. His skills led to 22 goals and a cup winner’s medal last season, but Tekke’s preference suggests that if Trabzonspor finds their ideal striker, Onuachu’s departure is likely, no matter how much the Saudi offers are.
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