Former Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch has admitted that he wanted to sign Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi before he joined their Premier League relegation rivals last summer.
Awoniyi, who cost Forest a club-record £17.5m from Union Berlin, has been one of the standout performers in the top-flight this season, scoring 16 goals in 28 games and helping his side avoid the drop.
The 24-year-old Nigerian international was also on Leeds’ radar, according to Marsch, who was sacked by the Whites in February after a dismal run of results.
Marsch, who was speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, said he was impressed by Awoniyi’s technical ability, strength and speed when he watched him play in the Bundesliga.
“Yeah, we looked at him for Leeds, and he came from the Bundesliga as well,” Marsch said. “Good player. Technically very good, strong, fast, great touch there.”
Marsch, who replaced Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road in March 2022, had a turbulent spell in charge of Leeds, who narrowly avoided relegation on the final day of last season.
He spent over £100m on new signings, including Tyler Adams, Marc Roca, Rasmus Kristensen, Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra and Wilfried Gnonto, but failed to get the best out of them.
Also he lost key players such as Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips, who joined Barcelona and Manchester City respectively, and struggled to cope with injuries to Patrick Bamford, Stuart Dallas and Adam Forshaw.
He was given the backing of the board during the World Cup break, but could not turn things around, winning only two of his last 12 games in charge.
He was replaced by former Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, who has guided Leeds to three wins in his first six games, lifting them to 15th in the table, four points above the bottom three.
Awoniyi scored a stunning goal against West Ham on Saturday, which Marsch and Jamie Carragher analysed on Sky Sports.
“He’s got everything you want from a striker,” Carragher said. “He’s strong, he’s quick, he’s clinical, he’s confident. He’s been a bargain for Forest.”
Awoniyi joined Liverpool in 2015, but never made a senior appearance for the Reds, spending six seasons on loan at various clubs in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
He finally left Anfield for good last summer, joining Union Berlin, where he scored 10 goals in 22 games, attracting interest from several Premier League clubs.
Forest won the race for his signature, breaking their transfer record to sign him on a five-year deal.
He has since formed a prolific partnership with Lewis Grabban, who has 12 goals this season, and has earned rave reviews from Forest manager Chris Hughton.
