Franculino Dju Steps Up to Replace Onuachu at Trabzonspor

Trabzonspor's 22-year-old striker Franculino Dju, signed in early September, has quickly become indispensable for the club. The young forward made his debut in the 4th week of the league against Gençlerbirliği, coming on in the 44th minute for the injured Paul Onuachu. In that match, which Trabzonspor won 5-0, Dju scored his very first goal for the club.

His strong form continued as he found the net again in the 7th week during a 3-0 away win over Samsunspor. In yesterday's away fixture against Çaykur Rizespor, Dju scored twice, playing a decisive role in his team's 4-3 victory. This brought his Süper Lig tally for the season to 4 goals.

Dju's impact has not been limited to domestic competition. In two UEFA Conference League matches, he has also netted 3 goals — two of them in a 4-2 away win over Finland's KuPS Kuopio, and one in a 2-0 home victory against Scotland's Hearts. In total, across 8 appearances this season — 6 in the league and 2 in Europe — Dju has scored 7 goals.

Trabzonspor's results in the matches where Dju scored are notable. The team collected 9 points from the 3 league games in which he found the net, along with 6 points from the two Conference League matches. Dju made the most of his opportunity during Onuachu's injury layoff — the Nigerian striker who shared the Süper Lig's top scorer title last season with 22 goals — and has now surpassed him, as Onuachu has managed just 2 goals in 7 league appearances this term.

Among Trabzonspor's 22 goals scored in the opening 9 weeks of the season, two names stand out. Mohamed Salah leads the way as the club's top scorer with 8 goals, followed by Franculino Dju with 4. Given his performances so far, Dju appears to have secured a lasting place in Trabzonspor's attacking lineup.