Taiwo Awoniyi to stay at Nottingham Forest after Vitor Pereira decision made - opinion
Taiwo Awoniyi surely won't be sold by Nottingham Forest this summer after reports emerged of Vitor Pereira's decision to stay at the club.
Forest boss Pereira's future has been up in the air in recent weeks after reports of interest in his services from Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal.
He has just one year left on his contract at the City Ground, with Evangelos Marinakis keen to hand him a new deal after he guided the club to safety last season.
Despite rumours of a possible exit, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed on Monday that the Portuguese boss remains committed to Forest for the start of next term.
His decision to stay on in the East Midlands should mean that Awoniyi's space in the Reds' first team squad is safe following his impressive end to the campaign and quotes from Pereira on his impact.
Awoniyi returned from the wilderness to play a key part in Forest's Premier League survival under Pereira.
The Nigerian striker proved that he still has a lot to give in the top flight, with the Forest boss clearly a keen admirer of his abilities in the final third.
Vitor Pereira to keep hold of Taiwo Awoniyi after impressive Nottingham Forest showings
Awoniyi's Forest career seemed all but over in the first half of last season, as he was restricted to making just seven appearances before the turn of the year.
Sean Dyche reintroduced him to the first team fold around Christmas-time, with Pereira then hired as his replacement in February.
After being asked why he picked Awoniyi over Lorenzo Lucca in the matchday squad against Fulham on 15 March, saying: “I decided to go with Taiwo. My decisions about how you need to deserve what you get in life. It’s not about the quality, because he (Lucca) has quality. But, in this moment, in my opinion, Taiwo deserved to play, and it was my decision.
“This is about merit and about work, about the spirit. In 20 minutes, Awoniyi created a lot and had two chances to score. The last one was in the last second. He is a fighter, and I like this type of player, I like this mentality and spirit.”
After that win, the Reds boss said: "I have never seen Taiwo without a smile, never. Every single day, whether he is playing or not playing, he is the same person, the same fighter, with the same spirit and the same energy.
"I had no doubts that he would perform and score goals. In fact, I told him before the game, ‘you will score for sure today,’ and he went out and scored two. I am very happy for him, very happy for our supporters, and for all our players."
With Chris Wood set to turn 35-years-old midway through next season and Igor Jesus' impact in league games being questioned, it seems pretty likely that Awoniyi is kept on for next term.
What has Awoniyi said about his future at Forest?
Sources exclusively revealed to Football Insider in April that Awoniyi was likely to leave Forest this summer, but his fine form towards the end of the season should have changed their plans.
The 28-year-old is clearly keen to stay at Forest for the foreseeable future, considering what he told Sportsboom earlier in June.
He said: "Four years in the Premier League has been a dream for the club and me. The club has shown faith in me when I was down, so we will see what happens next. My family and I are settled here in Nottingham, a great city. Next season, we will be better."