Southampton legend Francis Benali has expressed optimism about Paul Onuachu's potential following his brief appearance in the Saints' 3-1 loss to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last week.
The 30-year-old made his long-awaited Southampton debut in 14 months during the defeat to Arsenal. The Nigeria international was substituted on in the 74th minute, replacing Mateus Fernandes.
Onuachu spent the previous season on loan at Trabzonspor, where he contributed 21 goals in 25 appearances—scoring 17 goals and providing four assists—and was anticipated to secure a permanent transfer this summer.
However, that move did not materialise due to a breakdown in negotiations between Southampton and the Turkish club.
Despite the team's loss, Benali noted Onuachu's positive contributions and suggested that he could be a valuable option moving forward, especially in light of recent injuries to key players.
Benali highlights Onuachu's potential despite recent setbacks
In his recent column for the Daily Echo, Benali shared his thoughts on Onuachu’s performance amid the team's challenges.
He noted, “Although they lost, I felt there was some cause for optimism. The opening goal, scored brilliantly by Cameron Archer, gave us some hope. Saints were ultimately undone by Arsenal's superior quality, but I was pleased for Archer to get a goal and was quite surprised by what I saw from Paul Onuachu. He made a mark on the team and looks like he could be an option, even though he looked close to an exit this summer. I still think we need to see more from him before we can start asking for him to be a starter, but his performance against Arsenal was a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, his opportunity was likely a direct result of Ross Stewart's latest injury.”
Benali made over 300 appearances for Southampton between 1988 and 2004.
