FSV Frankfurt sign Taiwo Awoniyi on loan from Liverpool. Liverpool signed the Nigerian for £400,000 from Imperial Academy in Nigeria and immediately loaned the forward to Frankfurt.
The 18-year-old was targeted by the likes of Monaco and Porto but Liverpool clinched the signing and promptly sent him out to the 2. Bundesliga to get match experience. This comes after they were unable to get access of a work permit for the player, which meant he would have to join the German side to be a Liverpool player.
The Nigerian impressed at the under-20 World Cup this year as his nation finished second in Group E along side Brazil, Hungary and Korea DPR. Nigeria were knocked out in the second round by a Levin Özuntali first half goal. But despite the agony Awoniyi proved himself, scoring twice in four games, only three goals behind eventual top scorer Victor Kovalenko.
Awoniyi and Oral have their say
The Ilorin born striker is excited to play in German and believes it can help him excel as a player, admitting “playing in Germany will help me adapt”. The youngster continued to talk about German football as a whole and how it reaches the depths of places such as Africa, “German football has a very good reputation in Africa."
Tomas Oral spoke highly of his new signing, saying “he is a very talented player”. For a side like FSV Frankfurt to do deals with clubs such as Liverpool will be good for them in the long run. It means that Liverpool can help their players in the future and the FSV Frankfurt sporting director, Clemens Krüger, spoke of his delight of working with the Merseyside club: “We are proud to partner with a big club like Liverpool”.
Taiwo Awoniyi could make his first start for Frankfurt on September 13th as his new side host Eintracht Braunschweig at the Stadion am Bornheimer Hang. The former Imperial Academy man joins with Tomas Oral’s side having picked up seven points from their opening five games.