Monaco paid the sum of £12.5m to Everton for the signing of Henry Onyekuru before the start of last season. Onyekuru made the move to France, having not played for Everton due to work permit issues. It has been disappointing spell up till now with Monaco, but Onyekuru gets another chance this season under a new manager to get things right.
Everton initially signed the winger from Anderlecht in the summer of 2017. He spent the 2017-2018 season back on loan with Anderlecht. A knee ligament injury he sustained in December 2017 would cut short what was a promising start to the season for Onyekuru.
Another loan spell followed in 2018-2019, this time to Galatasaray. Onyekuru proved to be a hit in Turkey, leading The Yellow-Reds to a league and cup double, scoring 16 goals, and assisting a further 4 times in the process. If Onyenkuru’s scintillating performances in Turkey proved anything, it’s that the forward has what it takes to carve out a successful career in one of Europe’s major leagues and just maybe enough for a top club in the intervening years.
AS Monaco came calling and the Nigerian international put pen to paper on a lucrative five-year deal, leaving Everton without making a single appearance for them.
“I’m very happy to join a great club like AS Monaco. I will give everything to improve and help the club have a great season. I look forward to meeting my [new] teammates,” Onyekuru expressed at his unveiling.
Leonardo Jardim was at the helm of the Ligue 1 club for the start of the 2019-2020 season. The club struggled in the early stages of the campaign and so did Onyekuru. The Super Eagles star failed to impress in limited game time, spending much of the time on the sidelines.
A loan move back to Galatasaray in January for the remainder of the season materialized. Onyekuru wouldn’t replicate his previous season heroics, ending with one goal from 10 league matches as Galatasaray failed to defend their title.
It was a tough patch for the Nigerian. Onyekuru head back to France with a diminishing reputation and an uncertain future after his loan ended. Monaco had replaced Jardim with Gerard Moreno back in December, and the Spaniard also didn’t last with the club. Former Bayern Munich coach, Niko Kovac, was appointed as the new manager of the club in mid-July.
It was to be a new start for Onyekuru at the club, but he experienced a fresh setback after being left out of Monaco’s mini pre-season trip to Poland days later. It seemed he was surplus to requirements at the club. Fast forward a few weeks and Onyekuru had won over Niko Kovac with his brilliant displays in a series of friendly games.
“Henry and Gelson bring us to work on the wings, we know their qualities. I have confidence in them, and I think we have one of the best pair of wingers in France.” The Monaco manager told reporters a day before Monaco’s league opener.
Quite a turn around in such a short period of time. Onyekuru was handed a start in Monaco’s league opener vs Reims, but he was hooked at the interval after struggling to make an impact. It’s still early in the campaign and with a coach who have faith in him, Onyekuru will be aiming to fight his way into Kovac’s team after he struggled to establish himself with previous managers. Over to you, Henry Onyekuru.
