The work permit system has always been a bit of a lottery in football, so it’s a shame when you see genuinely talented players who can’t get a chance for their parent team.
That’s the current situation for Taiwo Awoniyi at Liverpool as he’s been contracted to the club since 2015, but he just cannot get a work permit and it means he’s had to go out on loan seven times already.
He’s currently impressing in the Bundesliga with Union Berlin and five goals in twelve games is a solid return in a struggling time, and a report from HITC has linked him with a move to Glasgow.
It’s believed that he still dreams of playing for Liverpool and you can’t blame him for that, but it’s starting to look like he will need to work elsewhere due to permit issues.
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Interestingly it’s suggested that it’s easier to obtain the permit in Scotland so that would open up a move to Celtic, while Liverpool were looking for around £5m to let him go last summer so that’s a rough guide on his potential price.
He’s still only 23 so he’s got plenty of time to develop and improve, while there is a lot to like about his game and he could be a good fit.
He’s blisteringly quick but he’s also six feet tall and physical so he’s a nightmare for most defenders to deal with, while he can also play in the wider areas so that versatility would be useful too:
You can see from his highlights that his movement is a big problem for defenders and his physicality opens up opportunities for him, although some of the finishes are a bit scrappy so hopefully that will improve over time.
Ultimately this will come down to his work permit and the player is still hopeful that his exploits this season will allow him to return to Anfield, but there’s a chance for Celtic to sign a promising player here if that doesn’t happen.
He fits the profile of recent successes as a talented young player with a major point to prove, so he’s a name to keep an eye on this summer.
