Taiwo Awoniyi Biography
Taiwo Micheal Awoniyi (born August 12, 1997) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a striker for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and represents the Nigeria national team.
Taiwo Awoniyi Career
Early Career
In 2010, Awoniyi was named the Most Valuable Player at a Coca-Cola football competition held in London.
His impressive performance caught the attention of Seyi Olofinjana, who invited him to join the Imperial Soccer Academy.
Liverpool
Awoniyi joined English club Liverpool on August 31, 2015, for a transfer fee of approximately £400,000.
However, he was immediately loaned out to the German club FSV Frankfurt to gain more first-team experience.
Loans to FSV Frankfurt and NEC
Awoniyi made his debut for FSV Frankfurt as a late substitute in a German Cup match against Hertha Berlin.
After being named as a substitute for six league matches, he played his first league match on February 19, 2016, against FC St. Pauli, where he featured for 89 minutes.
Despite his efforts, Frankfurt suffered relegation, and Awoniyi returned to Liverpool at the end of the season.
On August 26, 2016, Dutch club NEC confirmed that Awoniyi had joined them on a season-long loan, with the expectation that he would join the squad once his work permit was finalized.
He made his Eredivisie debut on September 10 in a 4–0 loss to PSV Eindhoven, coming off the bench in the 72nd minute.
Unfortunately, NEC also faced relegation in 2017, marking Awoniyi’s second consecutive relegation.
Loans to Mouscron and Gent
In July 2017, Awoniyi left NEC to join Belgian side Royal Excel Mouscron on a season-long loan.
He marked his debut on August 12 by scoring within 22 minutes in a match against KSC Lokeren.
On July 17, 2018, Awoniyi signed a long-term deal with Liverpool. Just a few days later, on July 23, he moved to another Belgian club, Gent, on a season-long loan.
However, on January 11, 2019, his loan at Gent was cut short, and he was loaned to Mouscron once again.
In April 2019, Awoniyi expressed concerns that his difficulty in obtaining a UK work permit might prematurely end his time at Liverpool.
Loans to Mainz 05 and Union Berlin
On August 6, 2019, Liverpool confirmed that Awoniyi had joined Bundesliga club Mainz 05 on a season-long loan.
However, in June 2020, he was hospitalized due to a severe concussion sustained during a 1–0 defeat to FC Augsburg in the league.
On September 19, 2020, Awoniyi moved to Union Berlin on his seventh loan spell, again in the Bundesliga, this time for a one-year deal.
Union Berlin
On July 20, 2021, Awoniyi returned to Union Berlin, this time permanently. The German club reportedly paid £6.5 million for the striker, with Liverpool negotiating a 10% sell-on clause as part of the transfer.
Nottingham Forest
On June 25, 2022, Awoniyi completed a move to Premier League side Nottingham Forest on a five-year contract.
The transfer fee, reported to be £17 million, was a club record for Forest. He scored his first Premier League goal on August 14, 2022, in a 1–0 victory over West Ham United.
Later, on October 22, 2022, he scored the decisive goal in a 1–0 win over his former club, Liverpool.
As the 2022–2023 season progressed, Awoniyi’s form peaked, scoring six goals in four matches, including the winner in a crucial 1–0 victory over Arsenal on May 20, 2023, which helped secure Forest’s Premier League survival.
On August 18, 2023, Awoniyi made history by becoming the first Forest player since Stan Collymore in March–April 1995 to score in six consecutive Premier League matches.
Injury and Recovery
On May 11, 2025, Awoniyi suffered a serious abdominal injury during a match against Leicester City.
Two days later, on May 13, 2025, Nottingham Forest announced that Awoniyi had undergone urgent surgery and had been placed in an induced coma while recovering in the ICU.
International Career
Awoniyi represented Nigeria at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he played a crucial role in helping the team win the tournament, scoring four goals.
He also featured for Nigeria at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, following his team’s victory at the 2015 African U-20 Championship in Senegal.
On April 12, 2015, Awoniyi made a strong debut for the Nigeria U-23 team, scoring a brace in a match against Zambia that helped secure qualification for the 2015 All African Games.
He was later selected for Nigeria’s 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Awoniyi earned his first senior call-up in late 2021, when Gernot Rohr selected him for Nigeria’s 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
He made his debut for the senior team in a 1–0 loss to the Central African Republic.
Awoniyi was also named to the squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, where he led the attack for Nigeria throughout the tournament.
His only goal in the competition came in a 3–1 group-stage victory against Sudan.
Style of Play
Personal Life
Awoniyi has a younger twin sister named Kehinde. On June 15, 2018, he married his partner, Taiye Jesudun, in an engagement and traditional wedding ceremony in Kabba, followed by a white wedding in Ilorin on June 16. Awoniyi is a Christian.
Recent Trending
Taiwo Awoniyi is currently trending due to a serious injury he sustained during Nottingham Forest’s 2–2 draw with Leicester City on May 11, 2025.
The Nigerian striker collided with the goalpost while attempting to score late in the match, resulting in a severe abdominal injury.
Although Awoniyi initially continued playing despite the discomfort, medical staff intervened shortly after.
The following day, Awoniyi underwent urgent surgery and was placed in an induced coma to aid his recovery.
This incident has attracted widespread attention, with fans and the football community expressing their support for the player.
Nottingham Forest’s club owner, Evangelos Marinakis, was visibly distressed by the situation, particularly since the team had already used all of their substitutions and had to finish the match with only 10 players on the field.
As of now, Awoniyi is in stable condition, and Nottingham Forest remains hopeful for his full recovery. Further updates on his health are expected in the coming days.