Could Awoniyi have influenced Emmanuel Dennis’ move to the City Ground Stadium?
The Super Eagles pair, Awoniyi and Dennis, joined Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League during the summer transfer window.
The Super Eagles forward Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis both switched from Union Berlin and Watford last summer, respectively.
Awoniyi was one of the first three signings, he was then joined later by Emmanuel Dennis from the Vicarage Road Stadium.
Not staying in the Championship😉
Nottingham Forest have agreed a £20m deal with #WatfordFC for striker Emmanuel Dennis.
The Nigerian scored 10 league goals in 35 appearances for Watford last season.
Another Eagle 🦅 Awoniyi is already at #NFFC. pic.twitter.com/C247gRdtNL
— Oluwashina Okeleji (@oluwashina) August 12, 2022
In previous reports, the Striker, while speaking to NottinghamshireLive in an exclusive interview, revealed his relationship with Dennis and what strengthens their bond.
“He actually went to the football academy in my State, when we were really, really young. In the city where I was born, that was where he was playing at his first academy (Kwara Football Academy),” he said.
The former striker for Union Berlin also said that when they were both in Belgium, they visited one another.
Awoniyi played for Gent and Excel Mouscron, whilst Dennis played for Club Brugge.
“Even when we were in Belgium, he’d come to my house and I would cook; every time I went to his house, I’d eat, also.”
The coach questioned the former Liverpool player, Awoniyi, before the team signed Emmanuel Dennis.
“When the gaffer asked me, ‘do you know Emmanuel Dennis?’. I said, ‘yes, he’s my friend’. He said, ‘I think we’ll bring him in’. I said, ‘that will be good, because I know him as a person, and I know how good he is as a player as well’.
“It’s really good playing together now. I understand him as a player.”
The Striker gave a general explanation of how they interact with one another during training and how they both dislike competing with one another.
“In this situation, we’re in, it doesn’t matter who plays. We are not the kind of guys who are rivalling each other, although sometimes in training, we want to challenge each other a bit. I can go to him, ‘hey, when I’m holding the ball, you’re not touching it!’. He’d be like, ‘okay, when I’m holding it, you’re not touching it!’.
“When we are playing together, he talks to me a lot, saying, ‘we have to do this’ or ‘we have to do that’. It’s something really good between us.” Awoniyi said.
Together, the two players have put four goals for Nottingham on the board so far this season.
