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Former Nigerian international Mobi Okparaku has reaffirmed his belief in Paul Onuachu’s quality, despite the striker’s ongoing struggles at Southampton.
Onuachu has found game time hard to come by this season, with just six Premier League appearances to his name.
His first start of the campaign came last week against Liverpool, where he delivered an impressive performance. However, he is yet to score a goal this season and is currently sidelined with a minor injury.
Southampton head coach Martin Russell recently revealed that no club showed genuine interest in signing Onuachu during the summer transfer window.
This left the Nigerian striker at the club after his loan stint at Trabzonspor, where he thrived last season with 17 goals and four assists in 25 appearances.
Despite his struggles in England, one of Onuachu’s previous goals for Trabzonspor earned a place on the FIFA Puskas Award shortlist, highlighting his knack for exceptional finishes.
In an interview with Ifeanyi Udeze on Brila Fm No Holds Barred, Mobi Okparaku described Onuachu as a “goal executioner,” emphasizing his reliance on proper service.
“Paul is not a bad player, but England and players born in Nigeria have a problem—they don’t trust us,” Okparaku said.
“Onuachu is not a player with strength or speed to run here and there. He’s an executioner who positions himself to score goals.
“However, he cannot adapt to the kind of ball they play in England.”
Okparaku further suggested that a system built around Onuachu’s strengths—delivering service into the box—would maximize his potential, just as it did in the Turkish Super Lig.
As Onuachu works to regain fitness, he will be hoping for more opportunities to prove his worth and help Southampton climb the Premier League standings.
