Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi has revealed that he did not give up on playing in the English Premier League despite his struggles at Liverpool.
The Reds snapped him up from Imperial Academy, co-owned by former Nigeria international Seyi Olofinjana, in 2015, but he was unable to make any appearance for the English giants as he was unable to secure a work permit.
He spent loan terms with FSV Frankfurt, NEC, Mouscron, KAA Gent, Mainz 05 and Union Berlin who signed him up upon his exit from Liverpool permanently in 2021.
The 2013 Fifa U17 World Cup winner impressed with Union Berlin and was able to secure a return to England in 2022 when he joined Nottingham Forest.
He eventually made his Premier League debut against Newcastle on August 6, 2022, and got his first goal in the following game against West Ham United.
Speaking to reporters, Awoniyi revealed that he never gave up on his ambition to play in the English Premier League despite failing to do so for Liverpool.
“I think for me in all honesty, that is one thing that I never take off my mind. I never for one day in all those difficulty and never for one day have it off my mind that it will not happen.
“And with the help of my family, my brother, my sister, my mum, my dad, this same person I called my coach Abdul Razaq Olojo, Mr Seyi Olofinjana, Mr Bankole, I think they are the people that also kept the belief in me.”
“Because you know this year you are in Holland, this year you are in Belgium, you are asking yourself what is happening, but in all honesty, the belief was always there. So I never for one day think it is not going to happen for me in the Premier League.”
The 27-year-old has made 50 appearances in the English top flight, notching 16 goals and four assists, all of which he has registered while playing for Nottingham Forest.
He was an unused substitute during the Super Eagles’ victory over Benin in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier played at the weekend.
