FC.1. Union Berlin of Germany new signing, Taiwo Awoniyi has reeled out three major areas of achievements he would love to enact during his time with the team he joined on Saturday, in another loan move from Liverpool of England, megasportsarena.com reports.
Speaking soon after his official unveiling by the Berlin-based club that also have former Super Eagles’ striker, Anthony Ujah in their squad, Awoniyi said he wants to work hard in order to ensure he plays as many matches as possible, ensure he develops his game to another level and help the team to stay in the top-flight Germany Biundesliga.
The UAE 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup gold medalist added that he has heard a lot about the club’s quality before now, such that he is happy that he will be spending this season on loan with the team that becomes the seventh side he joins on loan from Liverpool since signing for The Reds in 2015.
After signing the dotted lines five years ago at Anfield, Awoniyi was quickly sent off to German lower division side, FSV Frankfurt to develop further, after which he moved to NEC Nijmegen of Holland as well as Royal Excel Mouscron and KAA Gent of Belgium, following which he spent the past campaign at Mainz 05, with which he scored a goal in 12 Bundesliga games.
The deal came barely 48 hours after initial reports indicated that Awoniyi had received another opening at PAOK Thessaloniki of Greece, who sold former Arsenal of England youth team attacker, Chuba Akpom to Middlesbrough.
Renewed interest in Awoniyi came more than two years after PAOK previously missed out on his signature, but the former youth international snubbed the offer despite the Greek side touting a bait of action in the UEFA Champions League, where they have moved on through to the play-off round and will next face Krasnodar of Russia.
Dramatically, even as PAOK prepare for their next game against the Russian club, Awoniyi, who was in training with Liverpool’s first team at Anfield before they began the new EPL season, was not swayed by the UCL prospect, as his decision has sent bolts of excitement running through the top brass at Union Berlin.
The Köpenickers are delighted to hook Awoniyi as direct replacement for their top-scorer of last season, Seabstian Andersson, who was sold to Köln last week, after which the club’s director for Professional Football said: “Taiwo is a highly talented player who already knows the Bundesliga.
“He has already played in several countries and will certainly be settled in our team very quickly. With his physical robustness, his team spirit and work around the box. He should make our attacking game more flexible and further stimulate the attack.”
After undertaking pre-season training with Jurgen Klopp’s team, Awoniyi is back in Germany in search of regular first-team football and he quickly admitted that he is eager to show his best qualities at Stadion An der Alten Försterei; where he will compete with Ujah for a starting spot.
He enthused that the previous depth of experience he gained in the German lower division with Frankfurt and last season in the top-flight with Mainz will come in handy in guiding him through his latest adventure, which he said he is eagerly looking forward to setting in motion.
Awoniyi declared: “I’m looking forward to a new home and the task at 1. FC Union Berlin. Mainz was my second stop in Germany after Frankfurt and last year I was able to prove myself in the Bundesliga for the first time. At Union, I want to take the next steps, play as much as possible, develop and help the team to stay in the league.”
