West Ham United looking to sign Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi
West Ham United have expressed interest in signing Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi as they look to bolster their attacking options during the ongoing transfer window. The 27-year-old Nigerian forward has been a notable presence for Forest, featuring in 70 matches, scoring 18 goals, and providing four assists since joining the club.
Awoniyi’s journey to prominence began on the international stage, representing Nigeria at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He played a pivotal role in the tournament, netting four goals and helping his team secure the championship. At the senior level, he has earned eight caps for the Super Eagles, contributing two goals to the national side.
For West Ham, the search for reinforcements in the attacking department has become a pressing need. The departure of key players and a lack of consistent goal-scoring options have left manager Graham Potter keen to explore all avenues. Awoniyi’s proven track record in English football makes him a suitable candidate, particularly as the Hammers aim to enhance their Premier League campaign.
However, Nottingham Forest appears hesitant to sanction the move. Despite Awoniyi no longer being their first-choice striker, Forest is pursuing an ambitious top-four finish this season. The club’s hierarchy recognizes the potential disruption a departure could cause to their plans. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo’s stance on losing Awoniyi remains unclear, but it is evident that Forest would require a replacement before considering any deal.
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The prospect of a loan deal has been ruled out, with discussions reportedly centered around a permanent transfer. The timing of this development adds a layer of complexity, as Forest evaluates their squad depth and future prospects. Selling a player like Awoniyi could provide financial leverage, yet it also risks undermining their attacking depth during a critical phase of the season.
For Awoniyi, a move to West Ham could represent a fresh start and an opportunity to re-establish himself as a prominent Premier League striker. His physicality, work rate, and eye for goal align with the Hammers’ playing style, potentially filling a void in their forward line.
As negotiations unfold, the outcome may hinge on Forest’s ability to identify a suitable replacement and West Ham’s willingness to meet the club’s valuation. With the transfer window ticking down, both clubs face a delicate balancing act between ambition and pragmatism.
Whether Awoniyi will don the claret and blue of West Ham remains uncertain, but his future is poised to be one of the most intriguing storylines of this transfer period.
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Do West Ham need to sign Taiwo Awoniyi?
Bologna-born Giuseppe Bianchi has spent more than a decade living in Rome and writing about Italian football, Spanish football and the Premier League for various Italian football portals and now he writes about European football for Euro Football Rumours. He's been thinking about football transfers pretty much nonstop since the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. Aside from writing, he likes to spend his time fishing and rock climbing.
