Two of Southampton's long-held transfer wishes have been fulfilled simultaneously with Paul Onuachu kicking-off the Saints selling-spree.
Honestly, transfer perceptions are hard to change in football but yesterday, Southampton fans understood that they need to be prepared for even the wildest surprises in the summer window. Why? Because other clubs have changing needs all the time and Trabzonspor's Cepeda decision showed they might have given up their pursuits for central forwards.
Yet, nobody in the Southampton fanbase knew that their Turkish counterparts were again planning a different transfer stance, contrary to the ongoing speculations. Better put, it's uncertain whether they will retain their Cepeda desire and the "why" behind that is for favouring Southampton instead.
I know, the St. Mary's faithful have their fingers crossed for a Paul Onuachu boost and surprise, surprise, those wishes are swiftly translating into reality. In their own words, Sky Sports commented on this joyous update saying: "Trabzonspor have agreed a £6.8m (€8m) deal with Southampton to sign striker Paul Onuachu."
Saints must refrain from making another Onuachu mistake
Agreed, it's basically a loss-making sale but it's more than a transfer consolation for those Southampton fans who had grown tired of watching Onuachu juggle between injury complaints and the manager's dwindling trust in him.
And with two relegations marking the 31-year-old's terrible Saints tenure, this mutual agreement is a new beginning for both Onuachu as well as the Saints. One, where Southampton need to tread their striker moves carefully as not every time they will have an underperforming recruit bagging a bunch of goals to secure crucial points here and there.
Plus, with Willem Geubbels' transfer fee tipped to fall short of an eight-figure demand, it's wiser than ever for Southampton to resist spending over £10m on any player unless they have a good reputation in the Premier League.