Liverpool’s Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been granted a work permit to play in the UK – six years after signing for the club.
The 23-year-old joined Liverpool on a long-term deal in August 2015 but has never played for Liverpool due to his inability to secure a work permit.
It means Awoniyi, is now eligible to be included in the Liverpool squad for next season.
“It’s been a long process but finally [Taiwo] Awoniyi can now focus on his career either at Liverpool or somewhere in England,” a top official at Imperial Academy told BBC Sport Africa.
“He has the ambition to play in the Premier League and hopefully he can do that next season.”
Fit-again Taiwo Awoniyi, who has a contract with Liverpool until June 2023, scored five goals in 20 appearances for Union Berlin despite an injury-blighted campaign in the Bundesliga.
Since becoming a Red, the forward has enjoyed loan spells with then German second-tier club FSV Frankfurt, Dutch side NEC Nijmegen, Belgian outfits Royal Excel Mouscron (twice) KAA Gent and Mainz in order to attract interest from national selectors and gain a work permit.
An Under-17 World Cup winner with Nigeria in 2013, Awoniyi has represented the West African country at all youth levels.
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