He didn't get a goal for Saints, but it seems that on the Continent Paul Onauchu is not short of admirers and he looks set to become one of the first players to exit St Mary's this summer, heading to Germany if reports are to be believed.
Tall Paul Onauchu is off to Germany according to Sportwitness, who claim that Schalke have won the race to sign him ahead of Borussia Monchengladbach.
The website are quoting journalist Sacho Tavolieri: who states
"they are ‘set to’ secure Onuachu’s signature and sign him on loan from Southampton for the season with an option to make the move a permanent one."
The two clubs are currently working on the ‘last details’ of that move but it appears the major parts are done, and he will be bringing his short and miserable stint at St Mary’s to an end."
As I said in an earlier article this morning, I felt that the club were in no hurry to keep Onauchu next season, they felt that his short spell at the club had not been a success.
Under Nathan Jones he would make just 2 appearances in the Premier League, as a half time substitute at Brentford and then in the starting line up the following week against Wolves.
Ruben Selles would start him in his first two games, Chelsea and Leeds United both away, but although he showed a little promise in the game at Stamford Bridge, at Leeds he was nondescript and all but one of the rest of his season would be from off the bench, his final game of the season being against Fulham where although he was started he would be subbed on the hour mark.
Of his 4 starts and 7 sub appearances just about his only meaningful contributions were a header past the post at Chelsea and a late header against West Ham.
From a Saints perspective they would appear to favour a clean break, but the issue is that firstly Onauchu was a January panic buy, when he signed for Saints according to Transfermarkt his value was around £15 million Euros with Saints paying 18 Million Euros for his services.
As of today his value is given as 13 million Euros, although that is a 5 million Euro reduction, Saints would prefer to get that amount and write off the experience.
However that seems unlikely to happen and clearly Saints rate him so low they are not even contemplating giving him a chance in the Championship, instead loaning him out for a fee and getting his wages off the books for a season, hoping that he may do well in Germany and prompt Schalke to invoke their option to buy clause.