Awoniyi is on the verge of securing a record £17.5 million Forest contract.

 Awoniyi is on the verge of securing a record £17.5 million Forest contract.

TAIWO AWONIYI

Nottingham Forest are preparing to make their first major acquisition since gaining promotion to the Premier League, with Nigerian attacker Taiwo Awoniyi.

Forest are in early talks with Union Berlin over a £17.5 million club record transfer for the striker, who has a release clause with the Bundesliga club.

Last season, Awoniyi, 24, made an impression for Union Berlin, scoring 15 league goals, and he is likely to be Steve Cooper's first major signing of the summer.

Forest will also play Union Berlin in a pre-season friendly next month, with Awoniyi set to reunite with his former teammates.

Liverpool signed Awoniyi in August 2015, however he never played a senior game for them, instead playing for seven other clubs (FSV Frankfurt, NEC, Mouscron, etc). (twice),Gent, Mainz, and Union Berlin) on loan before signing a permanent contract with Union Berlin last year.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are expected to earn just under £2 million from the transaction, which will allow the Nigerian to play in England.

"To play in the Premier League is a dream come true for me." Even here at the club, everyone knows it," Awoniyi told Kicker.de in April.

Everything is still possible with time.

"It would be easier on my wife and child if I lived in England, if only because of the language." My sister and brother also reside on the island.

"I've always maintained that Liverpool is one of the best things that has ever happened to me as a footballer because they provided me with the opportunity to pursue my goal, and I have no regrets with them."

Awoniyi departed Liverpool at the end of last season after completing a permanent loan move to Union Berlin for around £6.5 million. With his probable return to English football, Liverpool negotiated a 10% sell-on clause with Berlin last summer and are about to reap the advantages of that deal. Liverpool have already made a large profit on Awoniyi after initially spending £400,000 on the forward, and the sell-on bonus will provide a further boost for the Reds in the summer transfer window, after already spending money on Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho, and Calvin Ramsey.

In the summer of 2015, Awoniyi joined Liverpool from Imperial Soccer Academy.

In 2013, he was a member of the Golden Eaglets, who won the U-17 World Cup, and two years later, he helped his country win the African U-20 AFCON title.