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Nottingham Forest pay N8.7 billion for Taiwo Awoniyi

Nottingham Forest have signed Nigeria forward Taiwo Awoniyi from Union Berlin for a club-record fee in the region of £17.5m (N8.7 billion).

The 24-year-old joins Forest from the Bundesliga club on a five-year deal and becomes the newly-promoted Premier League side’s first international signing of the summer.

Speaking about his new club, Awoniyi said:

“I’m very excited to be here at Nottingham Forest.

“It’s always been my dream to play in the Premier League and having spoken to Steve Cooper about our ambitions and looking at Forest, with its great history, it’s a club that I want to be part of.”

Forest head coach Steve Cooper on his part said: “There’s been a lot of interest of Taiwo from other Premier League clubs, and other clubs across Europe, so we’re delighted that he’s chosen Nottingham Forest.

“Our recruitment and coaching teams have been monitoring his progress closely over the last few months. He’s a player who we really believe in and we look forward to him going on to fulfil his potential and become a top Premier League striker with Nottingham Forest.”

Awoniyi began his professional career at Liverpool, signing for the Merseyside club in 2015 before having loan spells at FSV Frankfurt, NEC, Mouscron, Gent, and Mainz 05.

He joined Union Berlin on loan during the 2020/21 season and made the move permanent last July.

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