Taiwo Awoniyi: Lost in the Forest? 

His 15 goals last season-the sixth in the German top flight not only helped Union Berlin to a respectable fifth position in the Bundesliga but also qualified The Iron Ones to the Europa League, missing out of the Champions League by a single point. But rather than consolidate on that enviable performance with the German club, Taiwo Awoniyi choose to pursue his longtime dream of playing in the Premier League. He therefore moved to Nottingham Forest for a club record transfer of £17m. Since joining The Tricky Trees, the Nigerian has not only been used sparingly but also fighting to help the club stay afloat in the English top flight. With an unenviable statistic that shows that two out of all promoted teams from the Sky Bet Championship struggled to retain their Premier League status at the end of the season if not relegated, Kunle Adewale writes that with Forest deep down in the murky waters, Awoniyi may be joining Nigerian legions campaigning in the Championship next season

After his exploits with the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria at the 2013 U-17 World Cup, he was seen as one of the youngest talents in world football, which led to scrambling for his signature by big European clubs. In 2015, Taiwo Adeniyi joined Liverpool and had a dream of making an impact with the Merseyside giant, but it was not to be as he never got the chance to lace his boots for the Anfield side for once in a competitive game.

After seven-loan spells to various European clubs, he was finally sold to German Bundesliga side-Union Berlin, and it was there he finally found a home.

With his exploit at Union Berlin where he last season scored 15 goals, the sixth in the German top flight that helped The Iron Ones secure a Europa League ticket.

Awoyini indeed warmed himself into the heart of Berlin fans and was seen as their Cult Hero. Rather than compliment on that, the Nigeria striker decide to move to the Premier League-his longtime ambition.

However, at Nottingham Forest he has just been used sparingly. In Forest’s last two matches against Manchester City and Bournemouth respectively he was introduced into the game with less than two matches to the end on both occasions, unlike in Berlin where he was a regular starter except for injury.

While Awoniyi’s Nottingham Forest is placed 19th on the Premier League log, Union Berlin, a club where he was worshiped and adored by the fans are currently topping the Bundesliga table.

Union Berlin went top of the German Bundesliga for the first in their history by edging past Cologne.

Unbeaten Union secured top spot after Freiberg were held to a goalless draw by Borussia Monchengladbach.

But it is Urs Fischer’s side who led the table after six games, ahead of teams such as champions Bayern Munich, who are third and Borussia Dortmund in fifth place. Union are also competing in the Europa League after missing out on Champions League qualification by a single point last season.

When he scored his 10th Bundesliga goal last season Union Berlin fans hailed the 24-year-old the best in the world.

“He is the best in the world,” one fan told Soccernet.ng after the game.

Another group of fans sang a special song of praise in honour of the player.

However, his dream has always been to play in the Premier League since being signed by Liverpool but getting a place in the star-studded Reds’ side and also securing a work permit have been an issue culminating to going on a seven-loan spell to various European clubs before finally being sold to German Bundesliga side-Union Berlin. However, succour finally came the way of the Super Eagles striker to achieve his dream with newly promoted side, Nottingham Forrest ready to cough out a club record signing of £17.5m for the signature of the Nigerian international.

Awoniyi had very humble beginnings in Nigeria, having had to get creative in order to have football boots to play in as a youngster.

After impressing at the Imperial Soccer Academy, Liverpool swooped to sign him for a cut-price £400,000 back in 2015.

But while Awoniyi waited on a work permit, he was farmed out on loan to FSV Frankfurt, NEC Nijmegen, Royal Excel Mouscron, Gent and Klopp’s former club Mainz.

Yet, it was at Union Berlin where the forward finally started to find his feet and even drew comparisons to Erling Haaland.

“I think he’s found his level there, he’s what you would call a utility player, so he is perfect for the role they’ve given him. He works quite well for the Union Berlin system, which is also kind of direct, a lot of vertical passes, he makes a number of runs behind the backline,” German football expert Constanin Eckner told Blood Red.

“In a way he reminds me of Erling Haaland with the runs he makes behind the line.

“Of course, he’s nowhere near the level of Erling Haaland, but just his style is somewhat similar, and he’s a good, not great poacher inside the box, he’s a decent finisher at least.”

Awoniyi ultimately turned his loan to Berlin into a permanent £6.5m move last summer but not before he had the chance to link up with Liverpool for their pre-season camp in Austria.

And it gave him the chance to finally work under Klopp and also receive one of the German’s famous bear-hug greetings.

“He said ‘What took you so long?!’ To be honest, I have always been thinking about working with him. Even when I was at FSV Frankfurt and he had not signed for Liverpool yet, my team-mates there would always say that they wanted to play under him,” Awoniyi told GOAL in December.

“I was wondering why, really curious as to what he would be like. Then, when he signed for Liverpool, I was thinking ‘Wow! Maybe one day I will have my opportunity to meet him.’ And the first time I met him, I realised everything they said about him was true; the smile, the passion, everything he brings to the game.”

Awoniyi then began his second stint in Berlin in style, scoring in three successive matches on route to notching 15 Bundesliga goals, which helped the club earn Europa League qualification.

And despite the fact that if things had been different Awoniyi could have been lining up under Klopp this season, the attacker has no regrets about how his career has panned out.

“Life is a journey. Everyone has different steps to take and routes to follow. Our destinies are different,” he told Tribal Football.

“I signed for Liverpool at a period in my young career as a footballer; when I did not understand how it works with work permit issues, but at the end we are still here talking about it.

“It shows that I did not make a bad decision to sign for Liverpool. I have always said that Liverpool is one of the best things that happened to me as a footballer. “They gave me the platform to achieve my dream and with them I have no regret at all.

“I do not see not being able to play a game (for Liverpool) in the Premier League as a regret because in life, with time, everything is still possible.” “It’s been a long process but finally Taiwo Awoniyi can now focus on his career somewhere in England. He has the ambition to play in the Premier League,” a top official at Imperial Academy told BBC Sport Africa.

Forest 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.”

“I’m very excited to be here at Nottingham Forest,” he told the club’s website.

“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.”

With just a goal in 245 minutes in the Premier League and Nottingham Forest placed 19th on the log, a campaign in the Sky Bet Championship indeed looms for Awoniyi.