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By: Abiodun Adewale
Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is getting closer to full fitness again following a surgery to correct a groin injury, which has sidelined him since November, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Former Forest manager, Steve Cooper, ruled the striker out for months and as a result, Awoniyi was excluded from Nigeria’s party to the ongoing 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, where the Super Eagles are hoping to win a fourth title.
Although Cooper didn’t give a precise date, Awoniyi was feared out until March.
However, in different updates the striker provided on social media, he has now begun individual training with the ball, suggesting he could be back on the pitch earlier than predicted after about two months of rehabilitation.
In one of the pictures at the club’s training ground, he wrote “soon.”
New Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo also confirmed that Awoniyi should be back in full team training in two weeks.
“He’s progressing. He’s already training on the pitch doing individual work. Hopefully in two weeks’ time he can start joining the group and then it’s about how he feels and getting back fitness levels,” the coach said before their FA Cup third-round game against Blackpool on Wednesday.
The Nigerian striker is yet to feature under the new manager who took over from Cooper while the player was injured.
The 26-year-old has already scored four Premier League goals and two assists in 10 appearances this season, amounting to 37.5 per cent of their goal contributions. He was named the club’s player of the month for August following his blistering start to the campaign.
Before Nuno steadied their sinking ship, Forest were affected by Awoniyi’s absence, losing five out of six EPL matches in his absence before the turnaround against Newcastle United on Boxing Day.
When he was out with a similar problem last season, they only won three out of 15 games in his absence.