Since his injury comeback, he has been invaluable to Nottingham Forest.
Nottingham Forest has not been hesitant to make signings, having acquired 34 players since their promotion back to the Premier League in May 2022. However, the club is now facing charges for violating the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) and Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Their expenditure of over £220 million on players within the last 21 months has led to scrutiny.
Notable expensive signings, including Emmanuel Dennis and Jonjo Shelvey, have not met expectations, serving as examples of what is perceived as poor business decisions made by the leadership at Nottingham Forest in recent times.
In spite of this, the team has added some outstanding players, like as Anthony Elanga and Morgan Gibbs-White, who have both shown to be well worth their respective £42.5 million and £15 million transfers to the City Ground.
Striker Taiwo Awoniyi is another one of Trentside’s best players. The 26-year-old, who joined the Reds in June 2022 from German team Union Berlin, was the team’s first acquisition in the top division.
The fee Nottingham Forest paid for Taiwo Awoniyi
Awoniyi was the first of a wave of players to join Forest from the Bundesliga after signing with the Reds for a then-club record fee of £17.5 million.
George Syrianos, the recruitment chief at Nottingham Forest during that period, focused on identifying players from the top tier of German football, drawing on his experience as the head analyst at VfB Stuttgart. Players such as Moussa Niakhate, Omar Richards, and Orel Mangala were brought in by Forest. Notably, Mangala’s recent move to Lyon resulted in a substantial profit for the club.
Following his arrival, Taiwo Awoniyi made an immediate impact at the City Ground, scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory against West Ham United. This win marked Forest’s first home Premier League outing in 23 years.
Awoniyi opens his Forest account on his debut!! ⚽
The City Ground is rocking! 🔊 pic.twitter.com/28C4NKamRN
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 14, 2022
Despite grappling with several injury setbacks, Taiwo Awoniyi, the Nigeria international, has cemented his status as a crucial player under current manager Nuno Espírito Santo. Awoniyi has demonstrated his scoring prowess, finding the net 15 times in 39 Premier League appearances.
Notably, one of his goals from the previous season played a pivotal role in a crucial 1-0 victory against his former team, Liverpool. This performance earned him praise from Liverpool’s manager, Jürgen Klopp, who lauded the 26-year-old as “sensational.”
Taiwo Awoniyi’s market value in 2024
Taiwo Awoniyi’s significance for Nottingham Forest has exceeded expectations since his arrival from the Bundesliga. Despite the challenging task of helping the team avoid relegation, the 26-year-old Nigerian striker has contributed five goals in his 13 Premier League appearances this season.
While his overall statistics may not stand out, Awoniyi excels in specific key areas that underscore his importance to the team when he is on the field. Notably, he averages 0.64 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes this season, a statistic that places him in the top 11% of strikers in Europe’s top five leagues for the current campaign.
Taiwo Awoniyi’s contribution extends beyond goal-scoring, as he also excels in aerial duels. Averaging 1.9 aerial duels won per game, this statistic is particularly crucial for Nottingham Forest, given their propensity to face pressure and play a high-intensity counter-attacking style.
In terms of market valuation, Awoniyi’s worth has risen to £24 million, according to Transfermarkt. This places him at a £5 million premium compared to the talented youngster Murillo, who has impressed since his transfer from Corinthians during the summer transfer window.
The significance of a fully fit Taiwo Awoniyi cannot be overstated, and if he can recover and regain full fitness in the coming weeks, he could become a crucial asset in Nottingham Forest’s quest to secure their Premier League status by the end of the 2023/24 campaign. Awoniyi’s goal-scoring prowess, aerial ability, and overall contribution could play a pivotal role in the team’s efforts to avoid relegation and establish themselves in the top flight.