‘Chance of a lifetime’: Director says Southampton star ‘begged me in tears’ to agree £18m transfer

Southampton’s £18 million man is, lets be honest, pretty atypical compared to your usual Premier League footballer.

And not just because of his stature – he might give Peter Crouch a run for his money – but also because of the path he has traveled to English football.
Paul Onuachu, a relative late bloomer, arrived at St Mary’s in January 2023 at the age of 28. Furthermore, this was his first time competing in a big European league.

Southampton’s massive centre-forward won the Golden Boot in Belgium and he scored goals for pleasure in Denmark. However, Onuachu had never faced some of the best centre-halves in club football.

Two years later, Onuachu is still searching for his first Southampton goal. He’ll be looking to break his duck when he makes his 20th appearance for the Saints, maybe against Ange Postecoglou’s struggling Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday night.

However, the story behind the 6ft 7in Nigeria international is not that of an expensive flop. More of a gifted centre-forward who has not been given the opportunity to succeed by a team that does not play to his abilities.

Paul Onuachu ‘begged’ Genk to agree Southampton transfer

Even without scoring, Onuachu was excellent as Southampton pushed Liverpool close at St Mary’s, with one stunning display of brilliance alone enough to earn him cult hero status.

After a brief injury layoff, the now-30-year-old Onuachu should be available to face a Spurs backline missing Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, and Ben Davies.
Genk director Dimitri de Conde, meanwhile, selects Onuachu for an XI of the best players he has worked with at the Belgian league leaders. Understandably so, given that the former Midtjylland powerhouse scored 85 goals in four and a half seasons.

“[Onuachu is on my team] for his statistics, goals, Golden Boot, and kindness!,” De Conde tells RTBF.

It is no secret that Onuachu had a long-held desire to play in the Premier League. After proposed deals to Wolves and Aston Villa fell through, he grabbed at the chance to sign, despite Southampton’s futile fight against relegation.

“People always talk to me about [selling] Onuachu, but we have to put it in the context of the time,” De Conde tells me. “Paul was 28 years old.” He desperately wanted to depart since it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sign a contract that would never be offered again.

“He begged me, in tears, to let him leave. In certain instances, we no longer discuss money or the club’s interests. We will never block a deal; we always prioritise the person and the player’s choice.”

Genk now face a Fulham battle for Tolu Arokodare

De Conde believes that Genk will not compel a player to stay against their wishes. However, with Fulham keeping an eye on Tolu Arokodare, the director is clearly looking to avoid a recurrence of 2023.

Genk missed out on the championship on the penultimate day of the season after selling Onuachu mid-campaign. Genk is back at the top of the league after two years away. With ten goals and three assists in 17 starts, Arokodare is on track to win the Golden Boot.

“The group of players knows that we want to keep everyone together,” De Conde told TVL earlier this month. “There is no understanding with any player that we will facilitate a transfer in January if a decent offer comes in, as has been the case in the past.

“Tolu may not leave.” He is also very thankful to our coach and will not abandon [coach Thorsten] Fink and Genk simply like that.”

Onuachu, meanwhile, scored 17 goals on loan at Trabzonspor previous season.

The Super Lig outfit would be delighted to have him back. This week, Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan said that Southampton’s £12 million asking price for Onuachu is simply too excessive.

 

 

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