Coventry City have completed the signing of Taiwo Awoniyi from Nottingham Forest, with the fee reported to be in the region of £9m. The move was confirmed in mid-August 2026, in time for the striker to be available for the start of Coventry's first Premier League season since 2001. He has been given the number 14 shirt and is the club's sixth signing of the summer.
Frank Lampard pushed for the deal personally, wanting a forward with Premier League experience, physical strength and the ability to hold the ball up and lead the line for a Coventry side adjusting to the step up from the Championship. Awoniyi gives Lampard both a possible starting option and competition for places in an attack he is still shaping ahead of the season, which begins away at champions Arsenal.
For Nottingham Forest, the sale reflects a change in the pecking order up front. Chris Wood has re-established himself as the club's first-choice striker, while Igor Jesus and Arnaud Kalimuendo also give manager Oliver Glasner other options, leaving Awoniyi down the queue. Persistent injury problems, including abdominal surgery in 2025 and recurring groin and hamstring issues, had already limited his game time. He leaves having scored 23 goals and set up six more in 103 appearances since joining from Union Berlin in 2022, and was given a guard of honour by teammates before a pre-season friendly against Brest as he said his goodbyes.
Awoniyi's recent form was shaped heavily by fitness rather than form when he did play. He was restricted to occasional Premier League starts over the past two seasons because of injury lay-offs, though he continued to score when called upon, mostly with the sort of penalty-box finishes that have long been his trademark. Coventry are, in effect, betting on a player who has shown he can score goals at Premier League level when fit, rather than one short of quality.
At Coventry, he is likely to be used as a focal point for the attack, holding up play and getting on the end of crosses and cutbacks, with his physical presence seen as well suited to a newly promoted side that will need to compete for second balls and win individual battles against Premier League defenders. Speaking after the move, Awoniyi said: "I'm very happy to complete my move to Coventry City. I am very excited about this season, and I can't wait to get started. I'm really looking forward to working with my new teammates, I have seen how amazing they have been last season, coming up from the Championship, they were incredible and now I am just excited to join them and get started for the new season."
