Henry Onyekuru Ready to Show his Worth
Nigeria and former KAS Eupen striker Henry Onyekuru says he is determined to prove his doubters wrong after a stuttering start to his professional career. The player who is now at French club AS Monaco, work permit issues meant that he did not play a single competitive game for his previous club, Everton.
Despite that setback, the player encountered he is still determined to fulfil his ‘boyhood dream’ of playing in the English premier league. According to Henry Onyekuru, he said: “We have our plans but then life brings its own plans, but I am still working on it, and hopefully I will be back soon, maybe not with Everton but surely in the Premier League,” he insisted.
Onyekuru made his first major hit in football in 2016-17 season when he was aged 20, he scored 22 goals for Belgian top-flight team KAS Eupen. Since then the 23-year-old has signed two long-term deals, firstly for English Premier League top side Everton in 2017 and then last year at French club AS Monaco, with both teams sending him out on loan.
In January Henry Onyekuru was loaned, for a second time, to Turkish giants Galatasaray, where he spent the 2018-19 season while on the books of Everton. With his second spell at Galatasaray now at an end, Onyekuru is now looking forward to taking his chances at Monaco alongside the likes of Senegal’s Keita Balde and Spanish World Cup winner Cesc Fabregas.
Henry Onyekuru said: “I have been with players like Keita Balde from my days at the Aspire Academy, Cesc Fabregas is a top guy, who welcomed me when I arrived at the club, it’s like going back home.”He also said: “Monaco is a big club they know how to work with their players when it comes to transfers, just look at Anthony Martial.
“I hope to make a good season or two and hopefully the future will be bright,” he added. The player said admits that playing well with his club is no guarantee of a call-up to the Super Eagles.”I don’t think the national team is based just on performances at the club, the coach knows his first eleven,” he explained.
“He (Gernot Rohr) is the type of coach who doesn’t change when everything is going well. I’m there to contribute but hopefully I will get the chance someday.” “It didn’t work out because of the work permit, we African players need 75% appearances in the national team to play in the Premier League,” he explained.
“A lot of people might think I am not good enough (to earn enough caps), and don’t know it had a lot to do with my injury, but that’s what it is, I just have to keep working hard.” The player is reportedly linked with a move to Greece as Olympiacos is interested in him but he said he would rather remain in Turkey.
