Taiwo Awoniyi set for possible Bundesliga return as Werder Bremen step up January bid

By Oluwadamilola Olaleye

Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi may be on the verge of a return to the Bundesliga, with new reports indicating strong interest from German side Werder Bremen ahead of the January transfer window.

The Nigerian forward has endured a challenging season at the City Ground, making just four Premier League appearances.

His omission from Forest’s Europa League squad has further fuelled uncertainty about his long-term role under the current management.

Speculation over Awoniyi’s future first surfaced in the summer after Forest strengthened their attacking ranks, placing the 26-year-old lower in the pecking order. With the mid-season window fast approaching, interest from abroad has re-emerged, suggesting a move could be imminent.

According to Africa Foot, Werder Bremen have already made enquiries about Awoniyi’s availability and are eager to accelerate negotiations.

The Bundesliga club are reportedly exploring an initial loan deal with an option to buy, signalling their intent to reinforce their frontline “very soon.”

Earlier this year, Nottingham Forest considered extending Awoniyi’s contract—currently running until 2027—but talks were shelved due to the striker’s recurring injury concerns.

With the club now open to a sale if a suitable offer arrives, a January exit appears increasingly plausible.

Awoniyi previously spent several years in Germany, enjoying productive spells with Mainz and Union Berlin, where his form earned him the move to Nottingham Forest in 2022.

Werder Bremen, who also have Nigerian forward Victor Boniface on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, are hoping a reunion with the Bundesliga will reignite his confidence and goal-scoring form.

With negotiations expected to gather pace in the coming weeks, Awoniyi’s future looks set to dominate Forest’s winter transfer headlines.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

See Full Bio