Bundesliga minnows prepared to sell 17-goal hitman for £25m, with Newcastle, West Ham interested

Newcastle have been told that £25m will be enough to tempt Union Berlin into selling former Liverpool striker Taiwo Awoniyi this summer.

The Nigeria international is building a solid reputation for himself in the Bundesliga. The former Liverpool man has hit 17 goals in 36 games in all competitions this season. Twelve of those came in the league. It’s a good return for a side who have scored just 34 goals in 28 games.

The £6.5m they forked out to land the forward last summer now looks as steal.

Awoniyi never made an appearance for the Reds. But after loan spells at Frankfurt, NEC, Mouscron, Gent, FSV Mainz 05 and then FC Union Berlin last season, Liverpool finally granted his permanent exit last July.

He has relished the opportunity in the German top flight and Goal have previously reported he is attracting interest from Premier League trio West Ham, Newcastle and Southampton.

All three are on the hunt for a new striker this summer. And the Hammers and the Toon Army would surely be prepared to make a £25m investment on Awoniyi given his impressive goal record.

Bild claim a move this summer could well happen, saying “it is very likely that he will be sold in the summer”.

Berlin seem more than happy to offload the player they have nurtured for two years. Especially when the fee will likely be five times what they invested last summer.

Awoniyi work permit

Managing director of Sport Oliver Ruhnert told DAZN: “It’s a nice sum, I have to say. For us, that would be a departure into a whole new dimension.”

While former Union director of football Christian Beeck is reported as saying, via Sport Witness: “Taiwo has shown that he is a great player with prospects. Is he worth €30m?

“Ultimately, the money on the market decides that. Union would have to sell him immediately for this amount.”

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The issue could be in gaining a work permit for the player. That in case is why Liverpool finally cut ties with the player.

But Awoniyi has now appeared four times for Nigeria. And thus a work permit application would now be looked on more favourably. In fact it was claimed the striker did get a permit granted last summer before he moved to Berlin.

Speaking to BBC South Africa, an official at Imperial Academy said: “It’s been a long process but finally [Taiwo] Awoniyi can now focus on his career either at Liverpool or somewhere in England”.

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