Izuchukwu Okosi
Nigeria international Taiwo Awoniyi believes his globetrotting moves after signing for Liverpool ultimately shaped him to become a better player ready to return to the Premier League.
Awoniyi was signed by Liverpool as a starry-eyed 18-year-old after being a member of Nigeria’s U-17 World Cup winning squad of 2015 but was soon loaned out to some clubs across Europe and never played a done game for the Reds.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe striker went on loans at clubs like KAA Gent, NEC, Mainz 05 and Union Berlin before he was snapped up by Nottingham Forest.
Speaking to the club’s website, Awoniyi noted that the search for first team opportunities was geared towards returning to the English topflight.
Awoniyi is the topscorer for Steve Cooper’s coached side where he has notched up 13 goals.
“For me, going through all those clubs and all those stages, it was all with the aim of one day being back in the Premier League. I think in the end, it was worth it, but I can say it was a tough journey,” Awoniyi told Liverpoolfc.com.
“Liverpool, I always say, is a family club. You develop as a person as well as a footballer, and I give so much credit to Liverpool for the way they looked after me all the time I was away. I’m forever grateful for that.
“It was an important period, really good for me, and it was a big reason I was able to develop into the player and the person I have become.”
Many Nigerian football supporters were at wits end why Awoniyi decided to join Forest as Union Berlin, his former German Bundesliga side qualified for the UEFA Champions League largely due to the great scoring form of Awoniyi who scored 15 goals in 31 matches in his last season at Berlin.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
