Bundesliga club Mainz 05 are weighing up a January move for Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi as they seek attacking reinforcements in their fight for survival, Footynaija.com reports.
Mainz are rock bottom of the German league table after gameweek 15, with a miserable record of just one win so far.
According to Kicker, the Nigerian international has emerged as a leading target for Mainz, who are rooted to the foot of the table and struggling for goals.
Mainz boast only 13 Bundesliga goals this term, the joint lowest return in the division. Club officials believe Awoniyi’s familiarity with German football could make him an ideal mid-season solution.
A move would reunite the 28-year-old with head coach Urs Fischer, under whom Awoniyi enjoyed the most prolific spell of his career at Union Berlin. Fischer pushed for the striker’s permanent signing from Liverpool in 2021, a decision that paid off handsomely when Awoniyi scored 20 goals across all competitions the following season.
Awoniyi also previously spent the 2019-20 season on loan at Mainz, though his impact then was limited. His development at Union later transformed his reputation in the Bundesliga.
At Nottingham Forest, Awoniyi has struggled for consistent opportunities this season. Injuries and competition from Chris Wood and Igor Jesus have restricted him to just five Premier League appearances, with his most recent outing a brief cameo against Fulham.
Forest signed Awoniyi from Union Berlin in 2022, but a return to Germany, and to a coach who understands his strengths, could offer a timely reset as Mainz push to salvage their top-flight status.
