Awoniyi: Future Still Far Away from Anfield

Liverpool on Monday extended the contract of former ormer Nigerian youth international, Taiwo Awoniyi, who the Merseyside club snapped in 2015 after impressive ve displays for the Flying Eagles. Kunle Adewale writes that in spite of the contract extension

In spite of spending the last three seasons away from Anfield and yet to make an appearance for the club, Taiwo Awoniyi was handed an improved contract by the management of Liverpool.

“I feel excited and I feel very happy. When I was told about the contract I was so eager to get it done, to move onto the next stage, going out on loan or being a Liverpool player,” Awoniyi told Liverpool’s official website on Tuesday.

“My ambition is to work hard wherever I find myself and hopefully be a better player.”

The centre-forward found the net 10 times and provided four assists on loan at Royal Excel, helping them secure another year in Belgian’s First Division A.

“Last season was the best season for me so far. It was a bit tough for me to be there alone but I just had to keep on working hard and try as much as possible for the best and work for the success of the team. They stayed in the league. It was a great year for me.”

The next move for the 20-year-old is likely to be another loan, with the player having already played in three different countries across Europe since joining Liverpool in 2015.

“Going from Germany to Holland and to Belgium was a big career move for me as a player. My thanks to Liverpool for that. It helped me a lot to develop more as a player. At the moment, I don’t have a work permit. I’ll go on loan again and keep on working hard as much as I can.

I’m a Liverpool player for more years and the plan is to keep on working hard and hopefully get back here one day.”

Liverpool experienced an unprec- p edented resurgence last season that saw them reach the final of the UEFA Champions League, and central to those feats were African duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

“It was an amazing year ar for the club, with the likes of Mane, Salah alah and my y favourite player, Firmino. o. He works so hard for the team, plays for the team and makes the job easier for the he team. Mane and Salah have really done ne well for the club and shown the world d what Africa has got. Many African players ayersy have this talent – it’s just the opportunity pportunity sometimes.”

The striker hopes his showing howingg in another loan spell in the upcoming comingg season paves a way to Gernot Rohr’s ohr’s heart.

“That is a big part of the e ambition for me. I have played for many nyy yyears years with the youth teams and I look ok forward to hopefully getting a chance ance with the senior team. This season will be the one they judge me on. Hopefully, ully,y I will do it.

“It was unfortunate that at we didn’t get through the group stage at the World Cup. Nigerian team has a lot of talent, p looking at the team at the e World Cup, p believeents.I it had a lot of young talents. I believe Nigeria will come back again gain as a giant of Africa.”

Awoniyi represented Nigeria g at the 2013 U-17 World Cup up scoring four goals in the competition. He also represented Nigeria at the he 2015 U-20 World Cup in New Zealand after winning the African U-20 Championship in Senegal.