Neil Jones, widely considered to be one of the most reliable Liverpool journalists, reports that a fee has been agreed for Taiwo Awoniyi.
In many ways, I feel very sorry for the Nigerian as he hasn’t had the chance to make his mark at Anfield and despite finally earning a UK work permit, he is being sold to Union Berlin.
He joined the Reds in 2015 for around £400,000 but has spent his entire career with the club on loan ever since and now looks set to depart permanently.
AUGSBURG, GERMANY – JANUARY 23: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Taiwo Awoniyi of 1.FC Union Berlin gestures during the Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and 1. FC Union Berlin at WWK-Arena on January 23, 2021 in Augsburg, Germany. (Photo by Peter Fastel/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
The 23-year-old has since spent time on loan at FSV Frankfurt, NEC, Gent, Mouscron, Mainz and finally Union Berlin. During his loan exodus, he scored 39 goals and assisted 17.
Neil Jones reported for Goal on the 18th of May that with the Nigerian forward able to play in the UK, Liverpool had fielded enquiries from Fulham and West Brom as well as rejecting a £4.3million (€5m) bid from Anderlecht.
Neil Jones took to Twitter to report on Tuesday morning: “Liverpool striker Taiwo Awoniyi is set to complete a £6.5m move to Union Berlin. Fee agreed, medical to take place later today.”
The journalist then added that the Reds have a 10% sell-on clause in the agreement with Berlin to protect them in the event that Awonyi moves on from the Bundesliga club in the future.
UNSPECIFIED, AUSTRIA – JULY 17:(THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Mohamed Salah, Leighton Clarkson, Naby Keita,Ben Woodburn, Taiwo Awoniyi and Sadio Mane of Liverpool during a training session on July 17, 2021 in UNSPECIFIED, Austria. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
It’s a pity that Awoniyi was never able to break into the first team at Anfield and had been able to get a work permit earlier, there is a chance things may have worked out differently for him.
For Liverpool, this is good news as it means they free up funds and a non-homegrown slot in their squad to make a new signing.
Whether or not that is the reason they are yet go out and make another signing is unconfirmed but we could see some more movement on the transfer front.
For Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s sporting director, this means his plans for the Reds are snowballing as Marko Grujic reportedly caught a private jet to complete a move to Porto.
PORTO, PORTUGAL – MAY 19: Marko Grujic of FC Porto reacts during the Liga NOS match between FC Porto and Belenenses SAD at Estadio do Dragao on May 19, 2021 in Porto, Portugal. Sporting stadiums around Portugal remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Liverpool are a sell to buy operation and this is something that frustrates fans.
Not because it’s not a perfectly logical way to run a football club – especially during a COVID-19 impacted market – but because the likes of Manchester United splash the cash every summer.
