Nottingham Forest today announced the acquisition of Nigeria and Union Berlin striker Taiwo Awoniyi for a club-record signing of €17.2m. Nottingham Forest, who got a promotion to the English league top flight for the first time since 1999, will have the Nigerian striker lead the team’s attack for the 2022-23 season.
Taiwo has been clinical and outstanding since joining Union Berlin from Liverpool on a permanent deal last year. Although he had been loaned to the club the previous season before making a permanent transfer to the club.
The Ilorin-born striker began his youth career with Imperial Soccer Academy before sealing a move to Liverpool in 2015. Awoniyi spent six years with Liverpool and never made any senior appearances for the senior team, of course, it wouldn’t have been easy for the 24 years old with the satisfactory strikers Liverpool had made since 2015.
Awoniyi who has inscribed his name as a legend in Union Berlin’s record netted 25 goals and 9 assists for the German club with 20 of those goals scored in the concluded campaign. His goals are crucial as they helped the team finish 5th position and secured a Europa League spot.
Taiwo was part of the Super Eagles squad that represented Nigeria in the last edition of AFCON in Cameroon, in which Nigeria was eliminated from the round of sixteen. He has made 4 appearances and has scored one goal in the Super Eagles colours during the AFCON group stage games against Sudan. Although he’s yet to get an invitation from the current head coach of Nigeria, Jose Peseiro.
“I’m very excited to be here at Nottingham Forest,” said Awoniyi following his move to The City Ground. “It’s always been my dream to play in the Premier League and having spoken to Steve Cooper about our ambitions and looking at Forest, with its great history, it’s a club that I want to be part of.
Head Coach Steve Cooper said: “There’s been a lot of interest in Taiwo from other Premier League clubs, and other clubs across Europe, so we’re delighted that he’s chosen, Nottingham Forest.
“Our recruitment and coaching teams have been monitoring his progress closely over the last few months. He’s a player who we really believe in, and we look forward to him going on to fulfil his potential and become a top Premier League striker with Nottingham Forest.”
