It's not difficult to understand why other Premier League clubs would be interested in prying Taiwo Awoniyi away from Nottingham Forest.
His goal tally for the Reds since joining ahead of the 2022/23 campaign is not exactly mind-blowing, but there is a general consensus that Awoniyi's worth to Forest far exceeds his 17 in 50 games.
The Nigerian’s sheer presence, towering at all of six feet, intimidates even the most daunting opposition, and his incredible hold-up play further burnishes his reputation as one of the division's more formidable target-men.
Last season, he was a big reason Forest survived their first year back in the top-flight, contributing 10 goals and several excellent performances, especially during a remarkable late-season surge.
Awoniyi carried that strong run into the new season, scoring a goal or setting up one in each of the first five games.
Fitness issues ruin Awoniyi's sophomore campaign
But then came the injuries, with a groin problem — of the sort he suffered last season — keeping him out for a considerable period.
He returned by the end of January, marking the occasion with a strike against Arsenal — his favourite English opponents — and making two more goal contributions in the next four games.
Just when it felt like Awoniyi had turned up in time to play a key part in again helping embattled Forest stay up, he has been sidelined once more by fitness issues.
“He is doing treatment,” head coach Nuno Espirito Santo said, explaining Awoniyi's recent absence following the weekend's disappointing home draw with Crystal Palace.
“It is a serious injury, unfortunately. It’s a big blow because he had just come back from injury. The importance of Taiwo is huge. He gives us another option.”
That would likely mean Awoniyi doesn't get to be the star of Forest's latest relegation battle — even if he recovers before it's all over, for better or for worse, teammate and competitor Chris Wood has fairly established himself as the go-to man upfront — but, beyond that, there could yet be consequences.
Awoniyi has been linked with a move to other sides, as mentioned at the outset, notably West Ham United. Forest, who have already been victims of the Premier League's biting Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), would likely feel the need to shed some assets — even a relatively valuable one like Awoniyi — in the summer to avoid yet another blow.
And the Hammers would, quite understandably, be willing takers.
Why West Ham might have second thoughts
In Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta, David Moyes’ team possesses plenty of flair and guile, and England international Jarrod Bowen offers energy and dynamism in spades.
Yet while all three forwards do more than their fair share of goalscoring, West Ham have lacked a reliable natural finisher.
Their two senior strikers, starter Michail Antonio and back-up Danny Ings, have a combined age of 65. The former, 34, is no spring chicken — as proof of that, Moyes might consider the fact that Antonio has been away for much of the season due to knee trouble — and Ings is hardly in the age bracket that could qualify him as a long-term successor.
Divin Mubama, an exciting product of ‘The Academy of Football’, is the great hope for the future, but the teenager is right at the other end of the spectrum and cannot be burdened too soon.
A striker like Awoniyi, entering his prime and with experience from playing both in England and on the continent, is just the perfect fit to bridge that gap, which is why it isn't so surprising that West Ham are eyeing a summer move, according to widespread reports.
But although the former Liverpool prospect certainly has admirers in East London, his injury record in East Midlands — where he has missed over 160 days of football since transferring for big money from Union Berlin — would surely not have escaped notice, and would be a legitimate cause for concern.
If that does end up scuppering a move, for a player of Awoniyi's quality and ambitions, it would be truly tragic.
