Liverpool striker Taiwo Awoniyi granted British work permit enabling him to play in Premier League

NIGERIAN striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been granted a UK work permit for the 2021/22 season indicating that he may feature for his parent club Liverpool after six years of playing on loans across Europe.

Awoniyi, 23, signed for Liverpool in 2015 but has spent the last six seasons out on loan in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. During the current season, he played for Union Berlin in Germany's Bundesliga and now that he has been given permission to play in England, several Premier League clubs are believed to have indicated they may want to buy him from Liverpool.

Liverpool plan to involve Awoniyi in the first part of the club's pre-season schedule, enabling him to finally train with Jurgen Klopp’s senior group. He may then feature in some friendly fixtures while a host of first-team players are away on international duty at the European Championship and Copa America.

After that, a transfer or loan move looks most likely and apparently, Liverpool have already held initial discussions with Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City. Across Europe, Stuttgart, Wolfsburg and Union Berlin have all enquired about the striker too.

Already, Liverpool have rejected a £5m ($7m) approach from Belgian giants Anderlecht, who remain interested. Liverpool's  valuation for Awoniyi, who joined the Reads a fee of around £400,000, stands at around £8m ($11m), given his encouraging performances in the Bundesliga this season.

Awoniyi was first spotted playing in a tournament organised by Coca Cola in London, with the final played at Chelsea's Cobham training ground. Seyi Olofinjana, the former Stoke and Wolves midfielder, who owns the Imperial Soccer Academy in Nigeria, spotted the striker and signed him where he spent four years before heading for Europe.

In 2013, Awoniyi represented Nigeria, winning the U17 World Cup in Dubai, playing alongside Kelechi Iheanacho. Liverpool first spotted him playing at the U20 World Cup in New Zealand in 2015 and signed him from there.

After six season in Europe, Awoniyi and his family have qualified comfortably for a UK work permit, courtesy of his 16 Bundesliga starts this season. During the current campaign, Awoniyi has scored five times in 20 outings as Union Berlin have made a surprise push for European qualification this season.