Paul Onuachu Profile: Career, Market Value And Honors

Paul Onuachu, whose full name is Ebere Paul Onuachu, is a Nigerian football player. He was born on May 28, 1994, in Owerri, Nigeria.

Onuachu currently plays as a striker for Trabzonspor, a team in the Turkish Süper Lig, on loan from Southampton, a club in the English Premier League. So far In his career, Onuachu has achieved notable success.

He has won league titles in Denmark and Belgium. While playing in Belgium, he was voted the Belgian Footballer of the Year and won the Golden Bull trophy for being the top scorer. Onuachu also represents the Nigeria national team.

Paul Onuachu Club Career:

Paul Onuachu’s football career began in 2012 when he moved from Nigeria to Denmark to join FC Midtjylland on a scholarship from their affiliate team, Ebedei.

This move marked the beginning of Onuachu’s rise in European football. Onuachu joined FC Midtjylland’s youth team in 2012. He became known for his goal-scoring abilities, which earned him a spot in the first team.

Then he made his debut for the first team in the Danish Cup the same year and later made his league debut in December 2012. His early performances were promising, leading to a new three-year contract in June 2013.

However, his contract was extended again in August 2015 for another three years. In early 2015, Onuachu was loaned to Vejle BK to gain more first-team experience.

After a successful loan spell, he returned to Midtjylland for the 2015-16 season. Onuachu’s time at Midtjylland was seen by major achievements. He helped the team win the Danish Superliga title twice, first in 2015 and again in 2018.

One of his most memorable moments was in the 2015-16 UEFA Europa League, where he scored the winning goal in a home match against Manchester United.

Although Midtjylland lost the return leg at Old Trafford, Onuachu’s goal against such a high-profile team brought him international attention.

In August 2019, Onuachu moved to Genk, the reigning Belgian Pro League champions at the time. Standing at 2.01 meters tall, Onuachu was considered an “atypical” signing due to his height.

He made his debut for Genk on September 1, 2019, in a 1-1 draw against Club Brugge. Onuachu quickly found his scoring form, netting goals in his next two league games.

Onuachu’s second full season at Genk was extraordinary. He finished as the top scorer in the Belgian Pro League with 33 goals in the league and 35 in all competitions.

This achievement earned him the Golden Bull award for being the top scorer and the Pro League Player of the Year award for the 2020-21 season.

Additionally, he was named the 2021 Belgian Golden Shoe winner, recognizing him as the best footballer of the year in Belgium. Onuachu also won the Ebony Shoe award for the best African player in Belgium for the 2020-21 season.

During this standout season, Onuachu scored against all 17 league opponents and netted in four of the six Champions Play-Off games, helping Genk secure a runners-up finish in the Belgian First Division A.

He played a key part in Genk’s victory in the 2021 Belgian Cup Final against Standard Liege, scoring in the match to secure a 2-1 win.

His 33 goals in the league were the highest since Erwin Vandenbergh’s 39-goal campaign in 1980, and he broke Wesley Sonck’s single-season club record of 30 goals set in 2002-03.

The following season was more challenging for Genk, with the team struggling defensively early on. Despite these struggles, Onuachu continued to score regularly, finishing as the third-highest scorer in the league for the 2021-22 season with 21 goals.

Genk’s form improved enough to reach the European play-offs, although they finished sixth overall. One highlight of Onuachu’s time at Genk came on November 4, 2022, when he scored four goals in a single match against Sporting Charleroi.

He was the first Genk player to achieve this feat since Wesley Sonck in 2003. By the end of January 2023, Onuachu had scored 16 league goals, with Genk leading the Belgian Pro League by ten points.

Despite expressing frustration over the lack of a move to a bigger league, Onuachu remained committed to helping Genk win the title.

On February 1, 2023, Onuachu made a significant move to the Premier League, joining Southampton on a three-and-a-half-year contract.

His first appearance for Southampton came on February 4, 2023, in a 3-0 defeat against Brentford, where he came on as a substitute at half-time.

On September 11, 2023, Onuachu joined the Turkish club Trabzonspor on a season-long loan, and he made a fantastic impact, scoring on his debut in a 3-0 victory against Besiktas on September 17, 2023.

Paul Onuachu International Career:

Paul Onuachu’s journey with Nigeria’s national teams began in February 2015, when he was called up to the under-23 national team.

His talent and hard work eventually earned him a place in the senior Nigerian team in March 2019. On March 26, 2019, Onuachu scored his first goal for Nigeria in a friendly match against Egypt.

Remarkably, he scored within the first ten seconds of the game, setting a record for the fastest goal ever scored for Nigeria. This incredible feat brought him general recognition and praise.

Fans, journalists, and his coach all celebrated his achievement, making him the center of attention in Nigerian football at that time.

Later that year, Onuachu was selected to be part of the Nigerian squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. He played a crucial role in the tournament, including participating in Nigeria’s 1-0 win over Burundi.

Nigeria performed well, reaching the semi-finals. Although they lost 2-1 to Algeria in the semi-final, they bounced back to secure third place by defeating Tunisia 1-0 in the bronze-medal match.

Onuachu’s contributions to the team were influential, and his performances helped solidify his place in the national squad. His ability to score goals and make a difference in crucial matches proved valuable for Nigeria.

Most recently, on January 12, 2024, Onuachu was called up to the Nigerian squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

Paul Onuachu Market Value:

Paul Onuachu’s current market value is €13.00 million as of May 31, 2024. This shows a decrease from his highest market value of €22.00 million on October 6, 2021. His market value fluctuated, reaching its peak in 2021 before declining.

Paul Onuachu Honors:

Midtjylland

2014–15, 2017–18: Danish Superliga
2018–19: Danish Cup

Genk

2020/2021: Belgian Cup

Nigeria

Third place: 2019^,Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2023

Individual

2020/2021: Belgian First Division A Top goalscorer
2020/2021: Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year
2021: Belgian Golden Shoe
2020/2021: Belgian First Division A Team of the Year
2021: Ebony Shoe

Orders

Member of the Order of the Niger

Ken Anucha

Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.