Nottingham Forest can forget about Awoniyi by signing "sensational" talent
Nottingham Forest can forget about Awoniyi by signing "sensational" talent
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espírito Santo has the opportunity to stall his mark on the squad this summer for the first time since his arrival at the club back in December.
The former Wolves manager replaced Steve Cooper halfway through the campaign, unable to fully implement his system across to the players, but showing glimpses of promise towards the end of the season.
He utilised a 5-2-3 system at Molineux but frequently used a 4-2-3-1 formation at the City Ground, potentially as a temporary solution to keep the club in the Premier League.
He was heavily reliant on striker Chris Wood to do the business for the Reds, with the New Zealand international scoring 14 Premier League goals - proving a lot of doubters wrong in the process.
However, despite Wood’s brilliant form in the Garibaldi Red, Nuno is looking to further bolster his attacking ranks during the off-season, with one player linked with a big-money move to the City Ground.
Nottingham Forest battling to sign 27.5m talent
According to BILD via Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are battling the sign TSG Hoffenheim’s German striker Maximilian Beier this summer.
The 21-year-old, who also has interest from Manchester United and Liverpool, bagged 16 goals in his 33 Bundesliga appearances last season, catching the eye of numerous sides in the Premier League.
The report also goes on to state that Beier has a €32.5m (£27.5m) release clause in his current contract, but it remains to be seen if any side can negotiate a deal to sign the talented youngster at a cheaper price.
Whilst they will face tough competition for his signature, Forest must work tirelessly to win the race for his services, potentially able to brutally ditch one player as a result of the transfer.
What this move would mean for Taiwo Awoniyi
Although he’s been a crucial part of the Reds squad over the last two years, striker Taiwo Awoniyi has suffered multiple injury problems over the course of the 2023/24 campaign.
He only managed 20 appearances in the Premier League last season, with his injury concerns a real issue for Nuno ahead of next season.
In recent weeks, he’s been linked with a £25m move to West Ham United, with the club potentially needing to offload the Nigerian whilst his stock is at its highest.
However, the Reds shouldn’t worry, as when comparing Beier with Awoniyi on FBref, it’s evident that the German would be a huge upgrade on the current Forest number nine.
The Hoffenheim forward, who’s been dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy as “sensational”, managed nearly two times more the number of shots per game than Awoniyi.
He’s demonstrated his ability with the ball at his feet, completing over four times more successful take-ons and nearly ten times more progressive carries - showcasing his ability to carry the ball into attacking areas.
Whilst they managed more goals last season than the campaign prior, Nuno will want to instill more goals into his Forest side, with Beier potentially being the perfect player to provide an added attacking threat to his team.
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