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Six years ago, Liverpool signed Taiwo Awoniyi from Nigeria’s Imperial Soccer Academy for £400k. He arrived with many believing he could have a future with the Reds but with work permit issues it was always going to be an uphill battle for the youngster.
As a result of his inability to play in England, he immediately headed out on loan to FSV Frankfurt and would then go on to play for NEC in the Eredivisie, Mouscron and Gent in Belgium, and then Mainz and Union Berlin in Germany.
Both German clubs showed interest in signing him permanently, and it is Union Berlin who pulled the trigger, officially completing his transfer today in a deal reportedly worth around £6.5M to Liverpool. Awoniyi made 22 appearances and scored five goals for Berlin last season.
The 23-year-old’s permanent move comes in the same summer he was finally able to earn a work permit in England, which briefly made a stay with the Reds seem possible. In the end, though, that wasn’t to be, and hopefully he will find success returning to Berlin.