Awoniyi reveals Klopp’s grand plan as £15m striker gets two-year deadline

Liverpool striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been told by Jurgen Klopp to make Mainz his home for the next two years ahead of what the Reds boss hopes will be a successful return to Anfield.

The Nigerian forward joined the Reds way back in summer 2015, but is yet to feature for Liverpool as he’s been unable to secure a work permit to play in the Premier League.

And having been sent on a number of loans – the 22-year-old now counts spells at Frankfurt, NEC Breda, Royal Excel Mouscron (twice) and Gent on his CV – the player was this summer sent to Bundesliga side Mainz.

With the player admitting he fears his Anfield dream could be over before it begins, Awoniyi has been given new hope of yet becoming a Liverpool star by Klopp, who has told the “amazing” striker to earn his stripes in Germany for the next two years before, hopefully, earning his permit and becoming a fully-fledged member of the Reds’ squad.

And with Brexit fears almost seeing Liverpool sell the striker for £15m, Klopp opted against the sale in the hope it could yet work out for the player on Merseyside.

Awoniyi himself has corroborated that by saying that the manager himself suggested he move to Mainz, where he started his coaching career.

“I went to Mainz because it was where Klopp started,” Awoniyi told SportingLife.ng.

“It is like his home and he said ‘Taiwo, you can go there and make it your home too’.

“He said hopefully I would get my chance there and that maybe in the next one or two years the work permit is given and I could come back, but if not I would have to move on with my career.

“I think the most important thing to say about that is that Liverpool are still looking forward to me getting a work permit that will make me eligible to play in the Premier League.

“I believe just this past summer they had the best opportunity to sell me to another club permanently because they had a lot of clubs that showed interest in me.

“But then they said they were not selling because they they don’t need to sell me, and that I am an amazing talent that could still blossom. This was the reason they kept me.”

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