Liverpool youngster Taiwo Awoniyi has confirmed that he is keen to have talks about his future with the club at the end of the season.
The 21-year-old joined the club in the summer of 2015 but has yet to play for the senior team having been unable to get a work permit. However, he has excelled in his latest loan spell with Mouscron.
He’s opened up on his time with the Reds: “It saddens my heart that it’s been difficult to get a work permit for the past four years,” he told BBC Sport. “At the end of the season we have to go back to Liverpool to discuss.
“Everyone knows the importance of the work permit and how it works, and that you’d need to play for your national team. If you don’t get a chance with your national team then it becomes difficult to get it.
“Personally, I chose Liverpool because I would love to play in the English Premier League for Liverpool. If God says it will happen then it will, but if not then I can only go on with my life and career.”
OPINION
This has been a real sad tale for Awoniyi in regards to his Liverpool career. He clearly has a lot of potential and is someone who the club rated enough to bring in in the first place, but he’s just not been able to secure a work permit and therefore feature for the Reds’ first team. It does seem bizarre that you cannot get a work permit until you play for your national team, particularly in the case of these young prospects. It’s unlikely that they’re going to get to play for their country if they’re not featuring for their parent club. You can shine during loan spells – which is what Awoniyi doing at the moment – but it’s certainly harder to do when you’re not playing regularly for the team that actually pay your wages. Awoniyi is doing all he can, but it’s pointless him remaining a Liverpool player unless he secures a work permit. If he can’t then it would be no surprise to see him depart Anfield in the summer despite his obvious potential.
