On his third debut for Galatasaray last Friday, Henry Onyekuru bagged a braced against Gaziantep FK inside 45 minutes. In doing so, he surpassed his goal tally of last season(1).
Indeed, the winger has endured a nightmarish period since his 2019 summer move to Monaco from Everton.
A loan to Galatasaray at the second half of last season did little to revive his fortunes. He found the back of the net just once in 10 games before returning to France.
At the start of this campaign, it seemed Onyekuru would finally take off in the French league. Monaco boss, Niko Kovac was effusive of praise on the Nigerian when he labeled him one of the best wingers in Ligue 1 back in August.
But that was as good as got for Onyekuru under the former Bayern boss. After four games and a single assist to show for, Onyekuru was omitted from Monaco’s matchdays squad until his loan departure to Turkey this January.
He failed to meet the demands of the coach and in a team filled with many attack-minded players, getting back on board would always be difficult.
His last game for the Stade Louis II club was back in September, but when he came on for Galatasaray at the start of the second half against Gazientep, he barely showed signs of rustiness.
His two goals led the Yellow-Reds to a 2-1 victory over the home side and kept them on the heels of Fernabahce and Besiktas in the title race.
“I always thank God for making me wear Galatasaray jersey again,” Onyekuru said after the game.
“You know, I have a very good bond with the fans.
”The support they gave me for me to come back, being with them again, being with my teammates and my coach makes me incredibly happy.”
The 23-year-old is a fan favorite at the Turk Telekom Stadium after his first loan spell in the 2018-19 season in which he helped Gala to a league and cup double, scoring 16 goals with a further 6 assists.
It is why his move to the Turkish giants once again is the perfect solution for all involved.
Monaco lets go of an unwanted player and Gala welcomes someone adored by her fans. A player who needs affection to bring out his best.
Gala have the option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season and barring an unforeseen scenario, both player and club will gladly continue together.
The past year and a half haven’t been the best for Onyekuru at all levels. He also lost his spot in the international scene with Nigeria.
He now has the chance to shine again. At Galatasaray, Henry Onyekuru has the mechanisms in place to rediscover his spark.
