The Liverpool Echo has mentioned that Liverpool could look to cash in on Taiwo Awoniyi amid recent interest from Celtic this summer. The Daily Star had reported that the Glaswegian side are hoping to seal a £9m move for the Nigerian marksman during this summer transfer period despite his lacklustre loan spell with Mainz last season.
Awoniyi’s Unimpressive Loan Spell In Germany
The 23-year-old was mostly a frustrated player during the 2019-20 Bundesliga campaign as he struggled to earn regular first-team opportunities under the tutelage of Mainz boss Achim Beierlorzer. He featured in 12 matches for the German club in the previous term, netting just one goal in league football.
Awoniyi has lacked consistency in terms of his overall impact at the Opel Arena based on his average of 1.2 shots, 0.4 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per game in the German top-flight. He was even sloppy when distributing possession in the opposition half after completing 68.7% of his attempted passes in the top tier of Germany (stats via whoscored).
The lack of first-team football every week hampered the Nigerian U-23 international’s development last season, so Liverpool won’t benefit from keeping him at the club as he is still not good enough to feature in the Premier League. Awoniyi seems to be living on borrowed time at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp will benefit from cashing in on him so that he can secure some funds for other incoming transfers this summer.
What Does The Nigerian Youngster Offer On The Pitch?
Awoniyi has decent pace in his locker and is always looking to make some intelligent runs in the decisive third of the field. He even possesses the strength to hold the ball up inside the opponent’s penalty box and has got a great leap in him that enables him to score a few goals with his head.
When playing with confidence, the Nigerian prospect can be a capable finisher in front of goal but needs to be more productive in terms of his goal-scoring if he intends to become a top striker at the highest level someday.
Liverpool Could Look To Cash In On Awoniyi This Summer: Good Move For All Parties?
Awoniyi has not shown too many signs of promise over the past 12 months, so his departure is inevitable unless he can convince Klopp to have a change of heart in the preseason. A potential move to Celtic Park could be a welcome opportunity for the promising forward as it will give him the chance to make a name for himself in the upper echelons of Scottish football.
The Reds can also reap the rewards of selling him as they can use the money received from his sale to bring in a suitable replacement or strengthen other areas of Klopp’s squad. Hence, it will be a good move for both the player and the club as they look to move on in search of greener pastures.
