July 03, (THEWILL) – On June 25, with the football transfer business in full swing across Europe, the news broke that the long-desired wish of Nigerian forward, Taiwo Awoniyi, to play football in the highly lucrative English Premier League (EPL) was being realised with the formal confirmation of his move to EPL returnees Nottingham Forest.
In early February, THEWILL reported on Awoniyi’s dream for an opportunity to play in the Premiership and detailed how that dream appeared to have been scuttled by fate and circumstances. The article, written just after the Super Eagles were unceremoniously booted out of the TotalEnergies 2021 Africa Cup of Nations by a Tunisian lone goal, affirmed the desire of the 24-year-old to return to the English Premier League with a chance of demonstrating his value for whichever club that would offer him a place in its squad.
The story of Awoniyi’s first chance to achieve this dream and the circumstances that conspired to initially deny him that opportunity speaks of resilience, transfer cycles, humility, hard work, determination and accomplishment as he joins a growing set of Nigerians plying their trades in the EPL.
In 2015, Awoniyi, who featured at the 2013 Under-17 World Cup, signed a contract with Liverpool, but he was mostly loaned out to teams in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. A reason for the regularity of the loaning was because the Nigerian star was also unable to play for the Reds due to his inability to obtain a work permit. After six frustrating years at Anfield, he finally received his permit in the 2020/2021 season, but Liverpool could no longer fit him into their squad and decided to sell him off to Union Berlin where he had impressed the previous season on loan.
It was well and good for the goal sensation, as he also decided to seek his fortunes outside Liverpool with the avowed determination to work his way back from Germany to the Premiership with single-minded purposefulness. By February, it was already proving to be a wise decision. Awoniyi took to the Bundesliga with fiery disposition the moment he stepped in as a permanent starter in the Die Eisernen side. In 28 games, the Nigerian international had notched up a balanced set of goal involvements, boasting 14 goals and 14 assists.
Aoniyi’s scintillating performances in the German top flight did nothing to dampen his burning desire to play in England, which he never concealed from the Bundesliga club he represented. And, it was for both football and familial reasons, neither of which was unreasonable for the Nigerian striker. He revealed the thinking behind his EPL desire when he said: “The Premier League is my dream. Everyone knows that, even here in Union. The decisive difference for me is that if I lived in England, it would be easier for my wife and kid, not just because of the language. In addition, my sister and brother live there.”
Writing prophetically in February, THEWILL had noted with equanimity that if he maintained his current form and continued to score the goals that can propel Union Berlin towards European football, there will be no shortage of options for him to make the transition to England, as many EPL clubs are looking for strikers who can deliver on a continuous basis, as evidenced by the interest in Victor Osimhen.
Awoniyi did just that and his consistency is being rewarded with a dream-come-true move that has brought him back to England where, in the 2022/2023 season, he will lead the frontline of a English side with a penchant for giving EPL sides a tough 90 minutes of football. This was evidenced in their sensational run in last season’s FA Cup competition. Steve Cooper, who used to be a Liverpool Academy coach, took his side to a successful triumph over FA Cup holders Leicester City, at time when Brendan Rodgers and his charges were playing remarkable football in Europe, before defeating Mikel Arteta’s resurgent Arsenal side.
Forest then surged past fellow championship side Huddersfield to set up an uphill quarter-final berth against the overly technical Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. Yet, Forest were neither intimidated or outplayed when they met, matching Liverpool in all departments but losing by a lone goal. They raised some good money for their run and carried that momentum into the culmination of the Championship, which saw Nottingham Forest overcome Huddersfield Town at Wembley in what became the most-watched EFL game on record.
That is the team to which Awoniyi has come to in marking his dream return to actually play in the EPL. The impact of his presence in the team is already being felt as Nigerians on social media have immediately made their intentions to be unflagging in rooting for Forest next season because of Awoniyi. Their social media accounts have gained new followers and the reactions to videos and pictures of the signing ceremony, where emotions almost got the better of the Nigerian international, and his unveiling in the colours of Forest, have been seeing increased numbers as more Nigerians learn of the move.
Awoniyi has the chance to get into the Super Eagles’ starting XI especially under new coach Jose Peseiro, who has shown a willingness to give players that are on form the chance to win their places in the squad he is building to accomplish his first objective of winning the country a fourth continental title in the upcoming 17th edition of the TotalEnergies 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), billed to take place in Ivory Coast from June 23 to July 23 next year.
Fans of the Premiership will be consoled by Awoniyi’s return especially after the conclusion of the 2021/2022 season saw the reduction of the Nigerian Super Eagles’ players presence in England’s top flight by four players with the relegation of Watford. Striker Emmanuel Dennis, midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo, defender William Troost-Ekong and goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who recently joined up with the team from the Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam, will all be missing from the array of stars contesting for honours in the prestigiously attractive Premier League unless they can gain from the transfers currently ongoing and get snapped back up in a transfer move to a team that will be playing EPL football next season. There is still some time as the transfer window will remain open for business up until Monday, September 1. However, as things currently stand, there has been scant interest in any of these Watford stars and goalkeeper Okoye is only just resuming with the Hornets and cannot be on the lookout for another transfer for next season, at the very least.
The Super Eagles’ star that has generated the most interest so far is Napoli’s goal machine Victor Osimhen, who is in the form of his career for club and country and who has seen his valuation peak as a result. The allure of the Premier League is also behind attempts by English clubs to attract a player of Osimhen’s form into their squad. His name as inextricably tied to the summer transfer business of almost all top EPL sides especially for his valuation, which Napoli bunched up to about £100 million to stave off interested sides.
With the transfer market in full swing much of that interest has been cooled as Manchester City have brought in Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland, Darwin Nunez has taken Sadio Mane’s spot in Liverpool and Gabriel Jesus is on the verge of being confirmed for Arsenal. Still, Osimhen’s draw has not dampened with news that Newcastle United and Manchester United are still in the race to bring the Napoli striker to England. This is because the 23-year-old has demonstrated his knack to get results through his goals that saw him scoring 17 goals and dishing out six assists in 30 appearances across all competitions for Napoli last season.
In order to improve their league standing starting in the next campaign, Newcastle are trying to sign a new striker, while Man United are looking to replace Edinson Cavani and, depending on Erik ten Hag’s preference, allow Marcus Rashford to leave the rebuilding that the new manager is attempting. Before deciding to accept a deal, Napoli might be waiting for an offer to surpass their £100m valuation, which Newcastle is now anticipated to be able to finance under its new ownership. Even if Osimhen may have sidestepped answering a direct question about where he sees his future with all this EPL interest for his services, there is no denying that, much like Awoniyi, after playing in the Bundesliga, Belgium, and then Ligue 1, the Nigerian record-setting goal-scorer is also eager to feature in the Premier League and open to a lucrative move should one present itself.
There are the regulars in the EPL who have not been involved in transfers in, around or out of their respective sides such as Leicester’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Everton’s Alex Iwobi, although a move to a club higher up the EPL ladder was expected for Iheanacho’s Leicester teammate Wilfred Ndidi this summer. So far, nothing of the sort has materialised even if the player’s midfield quality is not in doubt. In more expected but delayed transfers included a Premier League push for the Glasgow Rangers’ duo of Super Eagles’ stars: Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey. After Rangers and Nigerian defender Leon Balogun was let go at the end of his contract, there was a possibility that the club could be without all three of its Nigerian contingent with which it reached the final of the UEFA Europa League, where they lost 1-0 to Eintracht Frankfurt, but defeated Hearts 2-0 to lift the Scottish Cup for the first time in 13 years. As attractive prospects as Aribo and Bassey both are, there has been not much traffic of transfer business in their direction just yet.
Perhaps, it might just be Awoniyi’s year. And, he has the chance to make the most of it when the season begins.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
