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Coventry City have signed Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi from Nottingham Forest for a reported £9 million ahead of their return to the Premier League.
The 29-year-old striker will join Frank Lampard’s side in time for their opening league match against defending champions Arsenal on Friday.
Awoniyi becomes Lampard’s latest signing after the arrivals of Gus Hamer, Carl Rushworth, Loum Tchaouna, Aurele Amenda and Caleb Yirenkyi.
Coventry are returning to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years after winning the Championship last season.
“I am very excited about this season, and I can’t wait to get started,” Awoniyi said.
“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,” he added.
The Nigeria international, who has 10 caps for the Super Eagles, spent four seasons at Forest, scoring 23 goals in 103 appearances across all competitions.
Awoniyi had a difficult final season at the club after losing his place in the team for much of the campaign.
He also suffered a serious injury in May 2025 after rupturing his intestine in a collision with a goalpost during Forest’s match against Leicester City.
He was subsequently placed in an induced coma.
Awoniyi received a guard of honour from his former Forest teammates during their pre-season friendly against Brest on Sunday as he said goodbye to the club.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis paid tribute to the striker, saying he would remain an important part of the club’s history.
“Taiwo will always have a special place in the history of Nottingham Forest.”
“He has been one of the defining figures in our journey and given our supporters moments of great joy that will never be forgotten,” Marinakis said.
The move gives Awoniyi another opportunity to make his mark in the Premier League, while Coventry begin their first top-flight campaign in a quarter of a century.
