It’s another week of the Game Changers of the Week series, spotlighting African players doing bits in Europe’s major leagues. From goals and assists to solid defensive performances, we’ve got you covered on the continent’s finest.

Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor) – Nigeria

The Super Eagles striker bagged his 10th and 11th goals of the season, powering Trabzonspor to a 3-1 victory over Konyaspor on Saturday. After falling behind to an own goal in the 17th minute, Onuachu levelled from the penalty spot in the 43rd minute.

The towering forward completed his brace early in the second half, showcasing exactly why he’s leading the Turkish Super Lig scoring charts. His double made him the third foreign player to score at least 10 goals in his first two seasons at Trabzonspor, joining elite company with Anthony Nwakaeme and Trezeguet.

With Trabzonspor now sitting just two points behind league leaders Galatasaray, Onuachu’s red-hot form couldn’t come at a better time. The 30-year-old has firmly established himself as the man to deliver the goods when it matters most, and with AFCON 2025 around the corner, he’s making a compelling case for his Super Eagles place.

Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham) – Nigeria

After weeks on the periphery, Chukwueze finally got his chance to start—and absolutely seized it. The Nigerian winger was electric from the opening whistle, tormenting full-back Pedro Porro and helping Fulham grab a fourth-minute lead when he rolled a pass to Kenny Tete for the opener at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

But it wasn’t just the assist. Chukwueze hit the woodwork, then rounded goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario only to be denied by a last-ditch tackle from Micky van de Ven. He was a constant menace, earning Man of the Match honours in Fulham’s hard-fought 2-1 victory.

After a difficult spell at AC Milan, the 26-year-old is finally showing why Fulham brought him in on loan, and Marco Silva will be hoping this is just the beginning.

Ademola Lookman (Atalanta) – Nigeria

The 2024 African Player of the Year is back in the goals. Lookman sealed Atalanta’s 2-0 victory over Fiorentina by pouncing on a corner scramble six minutes after the break to rifle home on Sunday.

It’s his second goal in as many games since new head coach Raffaele Palladino took over, having also scored in midweek during a 3-0 Champions League win against Eintracht Frankfurt. The timing couldn’t be better, both for Atalanta, who ended an eight-match winless run, and for Lookman himself ahead of AFCON 2025.

Semi Ajayi (Hull City) – Nigeria

Semi Ajayi scored his first goal for Hull City in a 2-1 comeback win over Stoke City on Saturday.

The 32-year-old defender headed home just three minutes into the second half after Mohamed Belloumi’s assist from a corner, drawing Hull level. His goal shifted momentum completely, and Joe Gelhardt sealed the win in the final minute of normal time.

Aside from scoring, Ajayi dominated, delivering one of his finest performances since joining Hull City, and was named Man of the Match. After battling hamstring issues all season, this performance and goal will have felt like the sweetest release. Hull now sit 7th in the Championship, just two points behind second-placed Stoke.

Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham) – Ghana

In a game Tottenham needed to win, Kudus produced the one moment of genuine quality. After Lucas Bergvall calmly lifted the ball into his path, the Ghanaian controlled it beautifully on his chest and unleashed a thunderous strike into the net in the 59th minute, pulling Spurs back to 2-1.

The goal, a superb volley into the top corner, briefly gave Tottenham hope of a comeback after they’d fallen 2-0 behind inside the opening six minutes. But Fulham held firm, and Spurs suffered a disappointing 2-1 loss at home.

The defeat marked Tottenham’s third consecutive loss in all competitions and their 10th Premier League home defeat in 2025, matching the club’s most home losses in a calendar year. Kudus’ brilliance deserved better, but at least the Black Stars attacker continues to show flashes of his undeniable talent.

That’s it for this week’s Game Changers. See you next week.