Liverpool’s Taiwo Awoniyi In Hot Demand
Schalke are one of a number of clubs across Europe monitoring the availability of Liverpool forward Taiwo Awoniyi.
The Nigeria U23 international is currently back on loan at Belgian side Mouscron.
At the moment the 21-year-old still does not qualify for a UK work permit, however, that could change with Brexit and there is a desire at Liverpool to keep the player who has scored six goals in seven games for Mouscron since returning in January.
Sky Sports News understands that Liverpool, for the moment, is open to another loan deal and, if they decide to sell, would be looking for a fee close to €15m.
The in-demand Liverpool striker Taiwo Awoniyi could secure a work permit four years after joining the club due to the impending withdrawal of the UK from the European Union, providing an opportunity to kickstart his career in England.
It is said Schalke and a host of French, Belgian and German clubs are all in hot pursuit of permanently signing the 21-year-old, who has scored six goals in his last seven matches on loan for Belgium-based Mouscron.
But Goal report Liverpool “preference would be to loan him out again, this time in the Premier League or upper-Championship, where they would be confident of attracting strong interest”.
Little wonder. Awoniyi has demonstrated his immense potential while on loan over the last four years at FSV Frankfurt, NEC Nijmegen, Mouscron and Gent.
His reputation across Europe shot up after his excellent 2017-18 campaign at Belgian top-tier club Mouscron, where he scored 10 goals and supplied eight assists from 31 matches in all competitions.
Following an underwhelming spell at Gent, Awoniyi has been on fire since returning to Mouscron in January, where his athleticism, power, and eye for goal has been strikingly evident.
Leeds would strike Brexit gold if they could sign the forward on loan this summer.
Certainly, Awoniyi would offer something different and he is at an age – he turns 22 in August – that would appeal to Marcelo Bielsa, a manager who thrives on developing and nurturing young talent.
The Nigeria Under-23 international is going places, and so is Leeds. They could be a match made in heaven.
