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Nottingham Forest has signed Awoniyi after paying a club-record transfer fee to Union Berlin, making the Nigerian its first international signing since returning to the Premier League. The 24-year-old Awoniyi signed a five-year contract after Forest paid the Bundesliga club a fee reported to be around 17 million pounds. Image Credit: AP

Nottingham Forest have signed Nigeria forward Taiwo Awoniyi from Bundesliga side Union Berlin on a five-year contract, the newly-promoted Premier League club said today.

British media reported that Forest had paid Union a club-record fee of £17 million ($20.85 million) for the 24-year-old international.

He becomes Forest’s first signing since they beat Huddersfield Town in the Championship playoff final last month to seal their return to the Premier League.

Premier League dream

“It’s always been my dream to play in the Premier League and having spoken to (Forest manager) Steve Cooper about our ambitions and looking at Forest, with its great history, it’s a club that I want to be part of,” Awoniyi said.

He was a key figure for Union last season, scoring 20 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions as they finished fifth in Bundesliga and secured a spot in the Europa League.

Awoniyi was a Liverpool player from 2015-2021 but did not make a single first team appearance for the club, and was sent out on loan several times.