Super Eagles’ fringe striker, Taiwo Awoniyi is making a shock summer exit from Nottingham Forest to Coventry City, following a special demand for his services by Frank Lampard, the coach of his new club.
Sports247 gathered that the Chelsea of England legend specifically requested for Awoniyi, with a view towards making the badging striker his pointman during what will be Coventry’s first season back in the English Premier League.
The stage is now set for a deal to be sealed for the well-travelled striker, who previously starred in Belgium and Germany; after failing to get a single competive match with Liverpool, though The Reds quickly signed him after he won gold with Nigeria at the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Fortunately for Awoniyi, who signed for Forest in 2022, he already has permission from the club’s top brass to undergo a medical ahead of his £17m move to join Lampard at newly promoted Coventry.
Awoniyi, who played over 100 games for Forest during a four year stay at The City Ground, will now join Super Eagles’ colleague, Frank Onyeka (The Tank) at their Midlands rivals, but leaves Ola Aina behind at The City Ground.
The move also provides a huge opportunity for the injury-prone attacker to get regular playing time this season in the EPL, as a strong hint has also emerged that he will go straight into The Sky Blues’ starting 11 next weekend, for their first match of the incoming campaign.
It will be Coventry’s first match back in the English top-flight after a 25-year absence, with high expectations on Awoniyi to hit a spark from the word go, as memory is still fresh with how his late rally of six goals three seasons ago saved Forest from relegation to the Championship.
A report by talkSPORT adds: “The Nigeria international will leave the City Ground on a permanent transfer, just a week before the start of the new season.
“Awoniyi has featured regularly for Forest during pre-season, scoring one goal under their new boss, Oliver Glasner, but he is now set to depart following a 45-minute appearance against Bayer Leverkusen in the club’s final friendly.
“The 29-year-old Nigerian forward will depart Forest after making 103 appearances for the club, scoring 23 goals and providing six assists altogether.
“Lampard is said to have pushed for Coventry to sign Awoniyi from Forest, though the Championship winners have already made six summer signings, breaking their transfer record multiple times.
“Awoniyi could make his Coventry debut in less than a week’s time and may well see some game time straight after his move if Lampard wants him leading the line.”
