Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi has moved to confirm his short-term plans, stating that he wants to stay at the City Ground after the club’s strong late surge under manager Vítor Pereira.
The 28-year-old Nigerian international wrapped up the 2025/26 Premier League season with a run of decisive goals, including strikes against Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, helping Forest secure their place in the top flight. His scoring contributions capped a landmark campaign that also featured a notable run in the UEFA Europa League.
Awoniyi’s involvement had been less consistent earlier in the year. After previous leadership left him out of the club’s European squad list during the season under Sean Dyche, he struggled to find the same level of regular minutes until Pereira’s arrival.
“The club has shown faith in me when I was down, so we will see what happens next,” Awoniyi said in an interview with SportsBoom. “My family and I are settled here in Nottingham, a great city. Next season, we will be better.”
Looking ahead to how expectations had initially tilted toward relegation, the striker highlighted the group’s ability to respond and keep fighting.
“At the end, it was an amazing season for us,” he said. “Many said we’d be relegated but we turned the negativity around. It was a good season for the club, the players and everyone.”
Awoniyi also addressed why he was not part of Nigeria’s squad. On Saturday, the Super Eagles won the international four-team Unity Cup in London, with Zimbabwe, Jamaica and India taking part. Although he received a call-up, he confirmed that he stepped away from the squad of his own choice.
“I was supposed to be in the Super Eagles camp, but I opted out because of personal reasons I have to attend to,” Awoniyi said, adding that there was no dispute with the national team setup. “We have lots of talent in the Super Eagles, so for me, everyone that is in the team for the friendlies is as good as me.”
Awoniyi is expected to return to Nottingham Forest in July to begin pre-season preparations for the 2026/27 Premier League campaign.
