Liverpool are set to terminate Taiwo Awoniyi‘s loan deal at Mainz, following the striker’s alarming lack of game time for Jurgen Klopp‘s former side.
Awoniyi joined Mainz on a season-long deal in August, after previous spells with FSV Frankfurt, NEC Nijmegen, Royal Excel Mouscron (twice) and KAA Gent.
He revealed in September that Klopp had told him “‘you can go there and make it your home too’,” and that “hopefully I would get my chance there,” but so far that has not unfolded.
The Nigerian has made just six appearances for Mainz, all in the Bundesliga but of which only one came as a starter, and unsurprisingly he has failed to score.
According to Goal‘s Neil Jones, Liverpool are “likely to end” their agreement with the German club this month, and are “assessing proposals from other clubs around Europe.”
Those include Montpellier, Brest and Nimes in France, Leganes and Real Mallorca in Spain, Besiktas in Turkey and Olympiakos in the Greece.
“Liverpool intend to meet with interested parties in the coming days,” Jones adds, “but are aware that Awoniyi would ideally prefer to remain in Germany.”
It appears as though Awoniyi has no other suitors from the Bundesliga, having already struggled for minutes at the club currently sitting 14th and three points from the relegation zone.
The focus in this window should be guaranteeing the 22-year-old regular first-team football, even though the likelihood of ever securing a work permit seems slim.
Liverpool already called time on Allan’s efforts to qualify to play in the UK, selling the midfielder to Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro earlier this month.
This seems the most likely eventuality for Awoniyi, and the most compassionate after five years moving around Europe since his £400,000 switch from the Imperial Soccer Academy.
But having recently extended his contract with the Reds until 2023, he could require more time in the shop window for a permanent offer to transpire.
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