Onuachu set to emulate Osimhen in Turkey with new record

Paul Onuachu is quietly scripting one of the most remarkable individual seasons by a Nigerian striker in Europe, and now, history is firmly within his reach.

With goals flowing and records trembling, the towering forward could soon join an exclusive club already graced by a familiar Super Eagles name.

Paul Onuachu has taken the Turkish Süper Lig by storm, and his latest strike against Galatasaray only strengthened his grip at the top of the scoring charts.

The 31-year-old needed just four minutes to find the net, taking his league tally to an incredible 22 goals this season—accounting for nearly 40% of Trabzonspor’s total output.

Now, two historic milestones are within touching distance. Former striker Alexander Sørloth holds the club’s recent benchmark with 24 league goals, while Georgian legend Şota Arveladze still owns the all-time foreign player record with 25 goals in a single season.

With six matches left, Onuachu needs just three goals to surpass Sørloth and four to stand alone as Trabzonspor’s most prolific foreign player in a single campaign—a feat that would cement his place in the club’s history books.

If he achieves that milestone, Onuachu will follow directly in the footsteps of Victor Osimhen, who set Turkish football alight during his time with Galatasaray.

Osimhen scored a staggering 37 goals in 41 appearances in his debut season, becoming the club’s highest-scoring foreign player in a single campaign and earning a permanent move in the process.

Onuachu’s rise has been just as compelling. After an impressive loan spell from Southampton, where he scored 15 goals in 21 matches, Trabzonspor made his move permanent—and he has since taken his game to another level.

Interestingly, despite his club heroics, Onuachu played a secondary role for Nigeria in recent friendlies, even in the absence of Osimhen. But if his current form continues, it may only be a matter of time before he commands the spotlight for both club and country.