Taiwo Awoniyi joined Coventry City for one key reason

Super Eagles forward Taiwo Awoniyi is set to complete a move to newly promoted Premier League side Coventry City from Nottingham Forest, Soccernet.ng reports.

Awoniyi’s future at Forest had become uncertain following the arrival of several attacking players, which pushed him further down the pecking order and limited his opportunities for regular playing time.

The 29-year-old also suffered from several injury concerns and fitness problems. One of the biggest setbacks of his Forest career came in 2025 when he suffered a serious abdominal injury during a Premier League match against Leicester City.

The injury required surgery, with Awoniyi subsequently placed in an induced coma as part of his treatment. Although he eventually returned to action, the Super Eagles striker struggled to regain a regular place in the team.

Last season, Awoniyi made just 18 appearances across all competitions and scored four goals, including a memorable brace against Chelsea to help Forest secure an impressive victory in May.

Why Taiwo Awoniyi chose Coventry City over other suitors

The Super Eagles forward has now ended the uncertainty surrounding his future with a surprise move to Coventry City as he hopes to revive his career.

However, a source close to the 29-year-old revealed that the decision was driven by his desire to remain in England rather than pursue a move abroad.

“Taiwo loves England and has always made it clear that he would prefer to remain in the country despite receiving offers from abroad”, the source said, via Footy-Africa.

“He loves the Premier League and feels he still has unfinished business in the league. That is why he did not pursue some of the interest from overseas.

“His family is settled here in the UK, and he did not feel it was necessary to pack up and leave at this stage of his career. Coventry offered him a good deal and, most importantly, the opportunity to continue playing in the Premier League, which is what he has wanted for a long time.”

Taiwo Awoniyi joined Nottingham Forest in 2022 following an impressive spell with Union Berlin in the Bundesliga and quickly became an important part of the club’s squad.

He enjoyed one of his best spells during the 2023-24 season, when he made history by becoming the first Forest player to score in seven consecutive Premier League matches. He broke Stan Collymore’s club record of six straight league games, which had stood since 1995.

Awoniyi will now hope to rediscover the form he showed during his early days at Forest after completing his move to Coventry City and will also link up with compatriot Frank Onyeka, who also completed a permanent move earlier this summer following a successful loan spell at the club.

“That was the main reason he decided to leave Forest. He knows it will be emotional to leave the City Ground, but he still has plenty of goals in him, and Coventry can give him a better opportunity to achieve them.”

Awoniyi could be in contention for Coventry’s first Premier League game in 25 years when they begin the 2026-27 season against reigning champions Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Friday.