Onuachu, Arokodare involved in deadline day transfer domino
Two Nigerian strikers, Paul Onuachu and Tolu Arokodare, have completed a deadline day transfer domino, joining Southampton and KRC Genk, respectively. The pair saw their transfers go through concurrently on the final day of the January transfer window.
Southampton completed a deal for Onuachu from Genk for a fee of around €21 million, signing the player on a three-and-a-half year contract. The giant striker joins the Saints after spending four years in Belgium with Genk. He scored 85 times in 130 appearances for the side, emerging as the league’s best player and top scorer in 2021.
The Saints will look to Onuachu as a source of goalscoring inspiration after their recent struggles in front of goal. They have bagged only 17 goals in 20 matches this season and sit at the bottom of the pile. Onuachu will team up with fellow Super Eagles star Joe Aribo at St Mary’s Stadium and hope to help the side avoid relegation. The 28-year-old striker scored 16 goals in 19 appearances for Genk in the league this season and is the leading scorer in Belgium’s first division.
According to Fabrizio Romano, in a direct move to replace Onuachu, Genk signed Amiens SC striker Tolu Arokodare. The 22-year-old striker joined from the French Ligue 2 side on a €5 million deal. The lanky forward scored eight goals and provided two assists in 23 appearances for the French outfit.
Arokodare was on loan at Amiens from Latvian side Valmiera and scored 21 times in 63 appearances for the French side. He will team up with Collins Yira Sor at Genk and hope to fill the big shoes of Onuachu at the club.
