Taiwo Awoniyi cannot make his Premier League debut due to work permit issues but continues to shine in Belgium with Royal Excel Mouscron.
Royal Excel Mouscron would love to keep Taiwo Awoniyi on loan for another season, with the Liverpool striker starring in Belgium, director Paul Allaerts has told Het Laaste Nieuws.
The 21-year-old failed to score a single goal for Gent in the first half of 2018/19 but he has found his form since joining league rivals Mouscron in January. Awoniyi has hit the net seven times in eight matches so far, scoring in five successive Jupiler League games.
As a result, Awoniyi’s future has been called into question of late.
Goal point out that he does not have a work permit that would allow him to make his Premier League debut for Liverpool so a number of clubs across the continent are keen to take advantage. Schalke have allegedly expressed an interest in signing the uncapped Nigerian, who is apparently valued at around £10 million.
But Mouscron would love to extend Awoniyi’s deal until the end of 2019/20.
“You never know. Liverpool are satisfied, and so is Taiwo,” Allaerts said when asked whether the striker would stay. “I am convinced that he can be (the Belgian league’s) top scorer next season.”
Allowing Awoniyi to stay in Mouscron could prove beneficial for Liverpool. The longer he impresses, the more likely he is to be called into the senior Nigeria squad for the first time – which could potentially see him finally earn a work permit.
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