Confirmed: Union spend record sum to acquire Awoniyi
After a seemingly endless series of loan-outs, Nigerian international Taiwo Awoniyi finally has a stable home. FC Union Berlin confirmed the signing of the Liverpool player who never played a single match for the Reds for a record transfer fee on Tuesday.
It looked to be business as usual this summer when Taiwo Awoniyi was officially returned to his parent club Liverpool after the season. Despite a stated interest of the management team in retaining the 23-year-old striker, it appeared that a price tag in the €4-6 million range was simply too rich for the Köpenick club's blood.
To the surprise of many, reports began surfacing early on Tuesday that die Eisernen were not only prepared to spend that amount on one of their stellar regulars from last season, but even more. The FCU confirmed the most expensive transfer in the history of their entire club--€7.5 million--later in the afternoon.
"We got to know and appreciate Taiwo in the previous season," sporting director Oliver Ruhnert said in a press release, "His robustness, drive, and unconditional will to learn were all deciding factors to expend so much effort on this transfer."
"I'm delighted to finally have a home after so many loan-outs," Awoniyi said in his own statement, "I have so much to thank Union for and the fact that I have now been signed permanently makes me happy and proud."
✍️ Zurück in Köpenick: Union verpflichtet @taiwoawoniyi18
— 1. FC Union Berlin 🇪🇺🛫 (@fcunion) July 20, 2021
📰 Zur Meldung: https://t.co/WNVd2co9Jx#fcunion pic.twitter.com/ynTLYFc6K0