Fans online believe Nigeria striker Taiwo Awoniyi will be a hit for newly-promoted Premier League side Nottingham Forest after completing a transfer believed to be worth £17m on Saturday.
Awoniyi joins Nottingham from Bundesliga side Union Berlin where he scored 20 goals in 43 games in all competitions last season, including 15 in the league, as they finished fifth to qualify for the Europa League.
Supporters took to social media to congratulate the striker for the move while expressing how good a transfer it is for the player and the buying club.
Dear Nottingham Forest (@NFFC),
— POOJA!!! (@PoojaMedia) June 25, 2022
You've just earned a new fan because of Taiwo Awoniyi & we are going to deal with all top clubs & stay up this season.
If dey come, dey collect 😂
Signed
Pooja from Ojodu
The person that will miss Taiwo Awoniyi’s departure from Berlin the most is my daughter.
— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) June 23, 2022
When her classmates found out she had met Taiwo, her clout grew.
They didn’t believe it until she brought this picture to school. She had her shoulders up there, strutting like a star. pic.twitter.com/9MdzhSKXfH
Taiwo Awoniyi won the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup with Nigeria 🇳🇬 & later won the AFCON U20, featured at the U20 World Cup & All Africa Games in 2015.
— Usher Komugisha (@UsherKomugisha) June 25, 2022
He’s just joined Nottingham Forest for a club record £17m. Deserved. Explains the emotions.
🎥: @ojbsportspic.twitter.com/CNRn95JUs9
Taiwo Awoniyi with the Missus just signed for a European Giant..levels above Arsenal. pic.twitter.com/IafqjlS3GH
— Praise Lete (@_Praiselete) June 25, 2022
Taiwo Awoniyi is one tree that can make a Forest.
— Sammy Desh (@Deshysmalls) June 25, 2022
I wish him all the best at Nottingham. pic.twitter.com/0jGNXROtdO
Welcome to the premier league Taiwo Awoniyi. Nigerians all across the globe are rooting for you. Go and show them your talent and skills. 🇳🇬👏🏾👏🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾pic.twitter.com/Le8D9JbCfm
— ✨👑 DaddyMO👑✨🏁 (@therealdaddymo1) June 25, 2022
🚨Nottingham Forest signing Taiwo Awoniyi for £17.2m, a club record 🔴 #NFFC
— ғᴀɴ ɪɴᴄᴇɴᴛɪᴠᴇ (@fancentive) June 25, 2022
Taiwo #Awoniyi scored 15 goals in 31 games in the Bundesliga last season! Great signing🔥
Great addition to #EPL 🌟😍
pic.twitter.com/dOssQkNKjS
Taiwo Awoniyi is one of the nicest & most polite people you could meet.
— Mimi Fawaz (@MimosaFawaz) June 25, 2022
He’s been dreaming for awhile of playing in the Premier League & now that’s a reality. You can see how much it means to him in this video.
Very happy for him.
🎥@ojbsports
pic.twitter.com/bf0ff44qJZ
Taiwo Awoniyi is the latest Nigerian to get into the English Premier League after joining Nottingham Forest for a club record fee of 17 million pounds. pic.twitter.com/FgXx18bcuR
— Chuma Nnoli (@ChumaNnoli) June 25, 2022
Congrats
— Sopirinye Jaja (@Sopirinye) June 25, 2022
Super Eagles Taiwo Awoniyi signs 5 year deal with Premier league side Nottingham forest.
Club record fee too.
He was first discovered by Seyi Olofinjana.
He's won Fifa under world cup with Nigeria too. pic.twitter.com/Tcq3UYCBNl
📸 New Reds signing Taiwo Awoniyi. Delighted with these. Proud to be a part of history 🌳🔴 #NFFC pic.twitter.com/VGRYmpKQ6n
— Ritchie Sumpter 📸 (@Ritchie_Sumpter) June 25, 2022
His premier league dream realised!
— Mimi Fawaz (@MimosaFawaz) June 25, 2022
Nigeria’s 🇳🇬 Taiwo Awoniyi joins Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forrest for a club record fee.
He joins on a 5 year deal from Union Berlin in the Bundesliga where he scored 20 goals in 43 games in all competitions. pic.twitter.com/ie1O0lhEQ5
A section of supporters feel the Nigerian will be a massive hit for Forest and can even help them avoid relegation while winning trophies in future.
Tweet from the future
— Sarcastic Premier Forest (@SarcasticForest) June 25, 2022
Taiwo Awoniyi celebrates in Market Square after Forest win the premier league in their first season in 23 years! #NFFC pic.twitter.com/ftRZQk9bsE
DONE DEAL! Nottingham Forest signs Taiwo Awoniyi🇳🇬 from Union Berlin for a club record fee around £17m.
— Pamela Taiye Ilekhuoba (@pamelamodella) June 25, 2022
Remember Nottingham Forest have proved stubborn to big teams in the EPL so they can stay up.
So for me its a good move. Good luck to Awoniyi🇳🇬 and Nottingham Forest.🙏 pic.twitter.com/WlUMeUaztm
A journalist is counting the financial benefits of Awoniyi's transfer, to his former club, Liverpool.
Liverpool are set to earn £1.75M from Taiwo Awoniyi's move from Union Berlin to Nottingham Forest.
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) June 24, 2022
Others feel playing in the Premier League will see Awoniyi considered for selection by Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro.
I'm happy for Taiwo Awoniyi. It was some sort of surprise to me that he was frozen out of the Super Eagles since after AFCON. I see him as a good deputy or even partner (as Peseiro seems to fancy two CFs) for Victor Osimhen. Wish him the best at Nottingham Forest. pic.twitter.com/MRFrYZEFR1
— Fisayo Dairo (@FisayoDairo) June 25, 2022
The former Liverpool striker is returning to the Premier League after failing to make the grade with the Reds who signed him for around £400,000 and loaned him out to a number of German teams including FSV Frankfurt, Mainz and Union Berlin before he made his move to the capital permanent.
Awoniyi also had loan spells at Belgian sides Mouscron and Gent in between his stint with Frankfurt and Union Berlin.
Capped four times for the Super Eagles, Awoniyi scored 25 goals in 65 appearances for Union Berlin, whom he joined for just £6.5 million in July 2021.