Taiwo Awoniyi is a player who could find himself with a move away from Nottingham Forest this summer, as Nuno Espírito Santo looks to take his side to the next level.
The Nigerian has been the man to lead the line in recent matches after Chris Wood’s injury setback, starting matches against Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester United.
However, the 27-year-old missed the trip to face Aston Villa last weekend with a suspected hamstring injury, once again proving he can’t be relied upon given his own setbacks.
Awoniyi has also failed to deliver with the chances handed his way this campaign, only scoring twice in his 28 appearances across all competitions – with one of his efforts coming against League One Exeter City.
Such a record proves he’s not at the level required for the Reds, especially considering the superb Premier League season they are currently enduring, highlighting the need for one player to return to complete the job in the next few weeks.
Chris Wood’s stats for Forest in 2024/25
Stirker Wood has been Nuno’s main talisman in 2024/25, with his goals firing Forest to their top four standing with just a handful of league matches remaining.
The New Zealand international has netted 18 goals in his 30 matches to date, breaking the club’s record for the most goals scored by a player in the Premier League in the process.
His subsequent tally ranks him fourth in the division’s goalscoring charts, with only Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah scoring more goals than the 33-year-old this campaign.
Wood’s tally works out to him finding the net for 35% of the side’s goals in the league this season, showcasing how important he’s been to the success they’ve recently endured.
His absence has certainly been felt, showcasing the need for added attacking reinforcements this summer, but the club have already found their new version of the star throughout the last couple of months.
The player who’s become Forest’s new Wood
Over the years, Forest have made some questionable additions, many of which have failed to impress at the City Ground – wasting owner Evangelos Marinakis’ money in the process.
The huge summer of 2022 saw over 30 players move to the East Midlands, with such levels of signings undoubtedly going to lead to many of whom failing to deliver.
Emmanuel Dennis was undoubtedly the biggest waste, costing £20m from Watford, but making just 25 appearances, before being sent on three separate loan spells in recent seasons.
Elliot Anderson is another player who cost big-money in a different window, joining in a £35m deal from Newcastle – a club-record deal which was frowned upon by numerous supporters at the time.
Such a deal was similar to when Wood joined for £15m a year prior, both joining the Reds from fellow Premier League outfit Newcastle United after struggling to gain minutes at St James’ Park.
However, like the New Zealand star, he’s exceeded beyond all expectations, starring at the heart of Nuno’s side and becoming a key player in their unexpected hunt for Champions League football.
Anderson, who’s been labelled “superb” by commentator Jamie Martin, has excelled defensively, winning 1.97 tackles per 90 and 6.8 duels per 90.
Games played
31
Goals & assists
7
Pass accuracy
82%
Successful dribbles
1.3
Tackles won
1.97
Tackle success rate
64.5%
Duels won
7.8
Ball recoveries made
6.8
However, he’s also starred in possession, completing 1.3 dribbles per 90 and completing 82% of passes, making him the perfect box-to-box option in Nuno’s midfield.
The pair’s combined £50m transfer now appears to be an absolute bargain, especially given their respective impacts in pushing the club towards European football for the first time in a generation.
Anderson may be a completely different type of player and position to the Reds’ talisman, but their situations are very similar, both undeniably changing the opinion of the fanbase with their impact in 2024/25.
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