Failing to secure a spot at Southampton F.C. and experiencing relegation with the team to the Championship, Paul Onuachu found his form on loan in the Turkish league, emerging as Trabzonspor’s top scorer. The critical questions now are whether the team will qualify for European competitions by the season’s end and if they will sign a long-term contract with the Nigerian forward. Kick Off Nigeria looks into the player’s finances.
What is Paul Onuachu’s Salary at Trabzonspor?
The Nigerian national team striker moved to the Turkish team on loan in the fall of 2023, with the agreement set until June 30, 2024. For the 2023/2024 season, Onuachu will earn €2,050,000, excluding bonuses, amounting to €39,423 per week.
|
Annual Salary |
€ 2,050,000 |
1,776,283,714 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Monthly Salary |
€ 170,834 |
148,013,467 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Weekly Salary |
€ 39,423 |
34,156,918 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Daily Salary |
€ 5,632 |
4,879,683 Nigerian Nairas |
Team Salary Overview: Onuachu Trails Only Former Arsenal Player
In the 2023/2024 season, Trabzonspor’s total wage expenditure is €31,050,000 per year, or €597,115 per week. The highest-paid player on the team is midfielder Nicolas Pepe, an Ivorian international, who receives €2,060,000 annually, equivalent to €39,615 per week. Paul Onuachu holds the second position among the highest-paid players in the Turkish club, trailing Pepe by only €10,000. Moreover, he stands as the second-highest earner among all African players at Trabzonspor.
|
Player |
Country |
Annual Salary (EUR) |
|
Nicolas Pepe |
Cote d’Ivoire |
€ 2,060,000 |
|
Paul Onuachu |
Nigeria |
€ 2,050,000 |
|
Mislav Orsic |
Croatia |
€ 1,880,000 |
|
Trezeguet |
Egypt |
€ 1,820,000 |
|
Edin Visca |
Bosnia-Herzegovina |
€ 1,760,000 |
Career Salary Comparison
The first significant increase in Onuachu’s salary occurred after his debut in the Belgian league. However, his earnings dropped almost €100,000 after one season before moving to Southampton F.C. In England, the Nigerian’s salary nearly doubled and continued to grow even during his loan spell in Turkey. Currently, Onuachu receives the highest salary of his career.
|
Club |
Annual Salary (EUR) |
Annual Salary (KES) |
|
Trabzonspor (2023/2024) |
€ 2,050,000 |
1,776,283,714 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Southampton F.C. (2022/2023) |
€ 1,817,886 |
1,575,535,650 Nigerian Nairas |
|
K.R.C. Genk (2020/2022) |
€ 960,000 |
831,901,713 Nigerian Nairas |
|
K.R.C. Genk (2019/2020) |
€ 1,040,000 |
901,226,856 Nigerian Nairas |
|
FC Midtjylland |
〜€ 197,213 ー 537,853 |
〜170,992,585 ー 466,301,778 Nigerian Nairas |
Market Value: Decline after Loan Agreement
Throughout his career in Denmark, Onuachu’s transfer value consistently rose. After a slight decline at K.R.C. Genk, the Nigerian’s transfer amount began increasing again, reaching its peak in 2021. After success in Belgium, his value gradually decreased. Within six months of his debut in England and his move to Trabzonspor, it dropped by €4 million. Presently, Transfermarkt estimates Onuachu’s transfer value at €13 million, making him the second most valuable player at the Turkish club, with Ivorian Nicolas Pepe being the costliest.
|
Club |
Year |
Market Value |
|
Trabzonspor |
2023 (September) |
€ 13,000,000 |
|
Southampton F.C. |
2023 (March) |
€ 17,000,000 |
|
K.R.C. Genk |
2022 |
€ 14,000,000 |
|
K.R.C. Genk |
2021 |
€ 22,000,000 |
|
K.R.C. Genk |
2020 |
€ 7,000,000 |
|
FC Midtjylland |
2019 |
€ 6,000,000 |
|
FC Midtjylland |
2018 |
€ 2,500,000 |
|
FC Midtjylland |
2017 |
€ 1,000,000 |
|
FC Midtjylland |
2016 |
€ 500,000 |
|
FC Midtjylland |
2015 |
€ 200,000 |
|
FC Midtjylland |
2014 |
€ 100,000 |
National Team Achievements
Paul Onuachu debuted for the Nigerian national team in spring 2019, scoring the fastest goal in the history of the Nigerian team, just 10 seconds into the match against Egypt. In the same year, he represented Nigeria in the African Cup of Nations, reaching the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual champions Algeria, and securing third place by defeating Tunisia. The forward played in two group stage matches against Burundi and Guinea and in the round of 16 against Cameroon but did not score.
In 2023, Onuachu played for the national team in only one match, and since July, he has not been included in the squad.
Football and Financial Prospects
Struggling to adapt to English football, Paul Onuachu started the 2023/2024 season in Turkey, where he immediately became the team’s main striker. Since joining Trabzonspor, the Nigerian has not missed a single game, scoring seven goals and providing one assist. Currently, Onuachu is the team’s top scorer and ranks eighth in the entire league. If the striker continues to score and helps Trabzonspor in the race for medals, he may expect a long-term agreement with the Turkish club on improved terms.
