Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu has opened up on the reasons behind his difficult spell at Southampton, admitting that the move ultimately failed because the club’s system did not suit him, Footynaija.com reports.
Onuachu joined Southampton from Belgian side Genk in January 2023 after establishing himself as one of the most prolific strikers in Europe, but he struggled to reproduce that form during his time at St Mary’s.
The Nigeria international found the back of the net just four times in 36 appearances for the Saints before eventually leaving the club for Trabzonspor, where he has since rebuilt his reputation as one of the best strikers in Turkish football.
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Reflecting on his Southampton experience, Onuachu admitted that the timing of the transfer, constant managerial changes and tactical systems that did not suit his strengths all contributed to his struggles.
“There are times in football when things don’t go well. For me, the Southampton period was like that. First of all, the transfer happened in January,” he told Trabzonspor Magazine.
“I haven’t regretted any of the decisions I’ve made, but sometimes there are questions you need to ask before signing with a team. You need to find out if their system suits you.
“Many coaching changes and systems that didn’t suit me. I knew the team had a 50-50 chance of staying in the league or getting relegated. But sometimes you take a risk and then you see if it works. I took the risk and it didn’t work.”
The 32-year-old also admitted that players need to do more research before committing to a new club, particularly when it comes to understanding the system and how the team operates.
“Maybe I’m making excuses, but sometimes if you want to go to a team, you need to ask and learn very, very well about the system, how things work in the team, and everything else. That’s all.”
Onuachu’s career since leaving Southampton has offered a clear contrast to his struggles in England, with the towering striker rediscovering his goalscoring touch at Trabzonspor.
He scored 22 league goals during the 25/26 season to finish as a joint Super Lig top scorer and also played a key role in Trabzonspor’s Turkish Cup triumph.
