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Taiwo Awoniyi: West Ham targets Nigerian striker to address injury crisis

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Taiwo Awoniyi: West Ham targets Nigerian striker to address injury crisis

By Wale Mustapha

English Premier League side West Ham United is reportedly considering a move for Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi of Nottingham Forest to strengthen their attacking options amid an ongoing striker crisis.

The Hammers, keen to bolster their front line, are looking to take advantage of Awoniyi’s current situation at Forest, where his role has been limited.

New manager Graham Potter, tasked with turning around West Ham’s fortunes, has made signing a prolific striker a top priority as the club seeks to address its inconsistency. West Ham has won only six of their 20 Premier League matches this season.

Awoniyi’s future at Forest appears uncertain. The Nigerian international has struggled to secure a regular starting spot, with Chris Wood often preferred in the center-forward role.

Awoniyi has started just two of his 15 league appearances this season, managing only one goal.

Despite limited opportunities, Awoniyi’s qualities as a target man have caught the attention of West Ham, who see him as a suitable replacement for the injured Michail Antonio.

Antonio will miss the rest of the season due to a broken leg, further intensifying the need for a reliable striker.

Awoniyi joined Forest from Bundesliga side Union Berlin in July 2022 for a club-record fee of £17 million. However, after battling injuries last season, he has found himself lower in the pecking order under manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

With two and a half years remaining on his contract, Awoniyi may be open to a move that could reignite his career. West Ham’s interest offers the striker a potential opportunity to rebuild his confidence and rediscover his scoring form.

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Samuel Ahmadu
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
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