Liverpool youngster to work under coach who nurtured Gotze into star – report

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Published on:

27 Jul 2016, 7:17 am

By Coral Barry

Liverpool teenager Taiwo Awoniyi is set to follow Ryan Kent out the door with a loan spell at Dutch side NEC Nijmegen, according to a report.

The 18-year-old spent last year with FSV Frankfurt in Germany's second division and Liverpool have decided Awoniyi will benefit from another spell at a club where first-team football is achievable.

Awoniyi made 14 appearances for Frankfurt last season, scoring one goal, and is highly thought of at Anfield after joining last summer.

The Liverpool Echo claim that a host of German clubs have inquired about the youngster's availability, while Croatian side Hajduk Split and Portugeuse side Tondela have also made their interest known.

Despite the flurry of interest in the striker, Nijmegen has been picked as his destination because their coach, Peter Hyballa, specialises in youth development.

Hyballa and Jurgen Klopp are well-known to each other, with the former coaching Borussia Dortmund's under-19 set-up for three years while the Liverpool manager was in charge.

Mario Gotze was one of the many players Hyballa nurtured and Liverpool are hopeful he can help Awoniyi develop in a similar manner.

Awoniyi will follow Kent and Brazilian prospect Allan Rodrigues into the loan market, with Liverpool eager to ensure Awoniyi's and Rodrigues' quest for work permits will be smoothed over by European loan deals.

In other Liverpool news, another Reds youngster has found a new club just weeks after being shown the door at Anfield.

Liverpool FC

Taiwo Awoniyi