Paul Onuachu has revealed he came close to leaving Southampton in the summer before deciding to fight for his place, admitting he is now rethinking his long-term future at the Premier League club.
The Super Eagles striker had hoped to secure a permanent move after an impressive loan spell with Trabzonspor, but the transfer failed to materialise. Softfootball understands Onuachu has since remained at St Mary’s and is determined to impress under new manager Ivan Juric.
Reflecting on the difficult period, the 30-year-old admitted he initially believed his future lay elsewhere before conversations with former manager Russell Martin convinced him to stay.
He said:
It’s been an up and down season. First of all, we were talking about transferring and leaving the team. It didn’t happen. I kept working hard and believing in myself. Russell Martin saw I had potential and started including me.
Onuachu also explained how close he came to departing Southampton. He added:
Russ spoke to me when I got back from loan but I felt like I probably wasn’t going to get a chance like he told me. I just wanted to leave and go where I could play more. But he actually spoke to me saying he wanted me to stay.
With Ivan Juric now in charge, Onuachu hopes to earn more opportunities and finally establish himself as a key figure for the Saints.
