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Trabzonspor striker Paul Onuachu is on the verge of making history in Türkiye following a decisive performance against league leaders Galatasaray.
The Nigerian forward scored the opening goal in a 2-1 victory at Papara Park on April 4, marking his 22nd league strike of the season.
Standing at 2.01 meters, the striker has become the focal point of the Black Sea club's attack. His recent header against Galatasaray was particularly significant as it was his first goal against the side.
Onuachu has now scored against all three of the traditional "big clubs" in Türkiye, including Fenerbahce and Besiktas.
Onuachu's prolific season has put him within reach of two legendary benchmarks for foreign players at Trabzonspor.
Georgian striker Shota Arveladze holds the all-time record with 25 league goals set during the 1995-1996 campaign. Alexander Sorloth sits just behind him with 24 goals from the 2019-2020 season.
With 22 goals in 25 appearances, Onuachu needs:
The Nigerian international currently leads the Süper Lig scoring charts by six goals. His nearest competitor, Eldor Shomurodov of Istanbul Basaksehir, follows with 16 goals.
The victory over Galatasaray moved Trabzonspor to within one point of the top of the table.
Onuachu’s contributions have been the driving force behind this title push, accounting for roughly 40% of the team’s 55 league goals this season.
Beyond his finishing, Trabzonspor manager Fatih Tekke highlighted the striker's physical presence as a tactical necessity.
"Especially Onuachu's attempts to hold onto the balls in the first half were very valuable," Tekke said. This ability to hold up play under pressure allowed the team to relieve tension and transition into attack during the high-stakes match.
The 31-year-old is currently enjoying the most productive period of his professional career. This success follows a difficult spell at Southampton FC in England, where he managed only four goals in 36 matches over 1.5 seasons.
After an initial loan spell at Trabzonspor in 2023-2024, where he scored 15 goals, the club made his transfer permanent in July 2025. This season, his clinical form has seen him score 24 goals across all competitions. Among the top scorers in Europe’s ten major leagues in 2026, only Harry Kane has bettered Onuachu's return.
With six league matches remaining in the season, Onuachu has ample opportunity to cement his legacy in Trabzonspor history while leading the club's charge for silverware.
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