Schalke 04 appears to have won the race for the signature of the gangling Nigerian forward

5 Nigerians likely to move in this summer transfer window - AfrosportNow

By Ed Emeanua

Paul Onuachu is now hours away from his loan move to Schalke 04 who plays in Germany’s Bundesliga 2 or the second tier in German football league.

Schalke are about to ‘win the race’ for the Southampton striker and will sign him on loan with an option to buy. According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the last details of the move ‘will be settled’ in the coming hours.

Onuachu has been coveted by a number of European clubs eager for his services, such as fellow German sides Borussia Monchengladbach and Stuttgart, aside others in Turkey who also are allured by his talent.

The giant Nigerian forward has been deeply associated with a summer transfer from Southampton after a disappointing spell at Saint Mary’s stadium since moving from Genk in January.

Borussia Monchengladbach appeared to be the front-runner to sign the striker, but Tavolieri claims that it is actually Schalke who has prevailed in the race to land the Nigeria international.

Onuachu had arrived from Belgium in the hope of strengthening Southampton’s attack with the hope of scoring enough goals to maintain the club’s Premier League spot, but the striker could not achieve those expectations as neither Nathan Jones or Ruben Selles saw it fit to play him in the second half of the term.

Shod of adequate playing minutes, the gangling Nigerian forward failed to score a goal in 11 outings totaling 404 minutes of football for Southampton and a plethora of reports have been adamant that the former Gent Marksman would be part of the anticipated departures from St Mary’s Stadium this summer following their demotion to division the Championship.

Saints lured Onuachu out of Belgian side Genk in the winter transfer window and he landed at St Mary’s Stadium with a prolific goal scoring reputation from Belgium.

Many had doubted that Onuachu would elect to play in Germany’s second tier league after rejecting Championship football with Southampton, but Tavolieri reports that Schalke 04 are ‘set to’ secure Onuachu’s signature and sign him on loan from Southampton for the season with the choice to make it permanent.