English Premier League
‘He’s Not Going Anywhere’ – Olofinjana Opens Up on Taiwo Awoniyi’s Forest Future
Taiwo Awoniyi is expected to remain at Nottingham Forest for the foreseeable future, with his long-time mentor, Seyi Olofinjana, revealing that the Super Eagles striker intends to stay in England until he qualifies for a British passport.
Awoniyi joined Nottingham Forest from Bundesliga side Union Berlin in the summer of 2022 for a then club-record transfer fee of £17 million and has since established himself as an important figure at the City Ground.
While injuries have interrupted parts of his Forest career, the Nigerian international remains a valued member of the squad, and according to Olofinjana, there are compelling personal reasons behind his desire to remain in England.
Speaking on the Playzone Podcast, the former Super Eagles midfielder disclosed that obtaining British citizenship has long been part of Awoniyi’s career plan.
“The day he gets to play in England, I told him he’ll stay there until he gets a second passport, but Nigeria will always be your home. That’s why Taiwo Awoniyi is not going anywhere. He’s going to stay in England until he gets his passport,” Olofinjana said.
Under current UK immigration regulations, Awoniyi is expected to become eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after completing five continuous years of residence and employment in England. Having arrived at Nottingham Forest in July 2022, he is projected to qualify in mid-2027 before becoming eligible to apply for British citizenship approximately a year later, subject to meeting all legal requirements.
The timeline aligns with his long-term future at Forest and significantly reduces the likelihood of a move abroad before 2028.
Olofinjana has played a pivotal role in Awoniyi’s football journey. He first identified the striker’s talent in 2010 after he emerged as the Most Valuable Player at a Coca-Cola youth tournament in Nigeria before bringing him to the Imperial Soccer Academy in Sango Ota, where he received structured coaching and development.
The former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder also helped facilitate Awoniyi’s transfer to Liverpool in 2015 despite interest from several European clubs. Although work permit restrictions prevented the striker from playing competitively for the Reds, Olofinjana remained a trusted adviser throughout his loan spells in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands before his eventual move to Union Berlin.
On the pitch, Nottingham Forest also have strong reasons to retain the 28-year-old striker.
After overcoming a serious abdominal injury that required emergency surgery in 2025, Awoniyi returned strongly, finishing last season with four Premier League goals and one assist in 17 league appearances despite often being used as an impact substitute behind Chris Wood.
Since arriving at Forest, he has scored 21 Premier League goals and registered five assists in 90 appearances, including the famous winner against Arsenal that secured the club’s top-flight survival in 2023 and a remarkable run of goals in six consecutive Premier League matches.
The Nigerian has also begun the new campaign positively under head coach Oliver Glasner. He captained Forest during the second half of their 3-0 pre-season victory over Blackburn Rovers and marked the occasion with a goal, further underlining his importance to the squad.
With both his football ambitions and long-term personal plans aligned in England, Awoniyi appears set to remain a key figure at Nottingham Forest for several more seasons.
