Paul Onuachu tipped to beat 22-goal league tally after Salah’s arrival

Mohamed Salah and Trabzonspor’s Paul Onuachu. Copyright: Imago

Super Eagles and Trabzonspor striker Paul Onuachu has been tipped to eclipse the 22-goal league tally he achieved last season following the arrival of Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah, Soccernet.ng reports.

Onuachu enjoyed a remarkable 2025/26 campaign, finishing as the Turkish Süper Lig’s joint top scorer with 22 goals after completing a permanent move from Southampton.

The 32-year-old established himself as Trabzonspor’s focal point in attack, using his aerial dominance, physical presence and clinical finishing to spearhead the club’s push for European qualification.

However, former Trabzonspor striker Emre Güral believes the Nigerian forward could become even more prolific this season following Salah’s blockbuster move to the Turkish Cup winners.

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The former Liverpool star joined Trabzonspor earlier this week after ending his nine-year stay at Anfield, instantly becoming the biggest attraction in the Turkish top flight.

Soccer Paul Onuachu tipped for more goals after Salah’s arrival

While Salah is expected to bring goals and creativity, Güral believes his greatest impact could be the extra space he creates for Onuachu.

“Paul Onuachu will now receive the ball in a much different way and create different positions.

“Onuachu will create more space because the opposing team’s players will focus on Mohamed Salah. Onuachu is a very good striker with consistency in scoring goals,” Güral told Turkiyegazetesi.

The 37-year-old explained that opposition defenders would now face a difficult tactical dilemma whenever they come up against the club.

Rather than committing multiple defenders to stopping Onuachu, teams will also have to account for Salah’s movement and ability to decide matches on his own.

“So, if he finds a little more space thanks to Salah, he can score many different goals.

“A player like Salah is a plus for any team. When Salah attacks, the opposing team will be forced to try to take precautions.

“Otherwise, Salah will finish the match himself. I think that if precautions are taken against Salah, players like Onuachu will find more space,” Güral concluded.

That prediction will excite Trabzonspor supporters, who are hoping Salah and Onuachu can form a dangerous attacking partnership this season.

For Onuachu, the challenge will now be improving on the standards he set last campaign. After sharing the Süper Lig Golden Boot with 22 goals, the Super Eagles striker has already proven he can thrive in Turkish football, and with Europa League football on the cards, there’s even more ground to be covered by the former Southampton striker.

Adefolahan Guerreiro

Adefolahan is a multilingual CAF-Accredited sports journalist and football writer whose work spans outlets like Soccernet Nigeria, Pure Football UK, and Royalsportz.

With a sharp eye for detail and a background in college sports, he tells the African football story with depth, flair, and global perspective.

Fluent in English, Spanish, and German, he brings a cross-cultural voice to his coverage, blending insight with accessibility for readers around the world.
His portfolio includes interviews with top Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, Sikiru Alimi, Sodiq Ismaila, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.

A devoted Borussia Dortmund fan, Adefolahan thrives on the emotion and rhythm of the beautiful game. Away from work, he’s a sci-fi enthusiast and series lover who enjoys exploring how sport, storytelling, and culture collide.