Coventry City have reached an agreement worth approximately £17 million to sign Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi, with the deal expected to be completed before their Premier League curtain-raiser against Arsenal on Friday.

The Nigeria international arrives at the Sky Blues after a four-year spell at Forest, where he made 103 appearances and netted 23 goals. He originally joined Forest from Union Berlin in 2022 for £17.2 million — a figure that stood as the club's record signing at the time.

A difficult final chapter at Forest

Awoniyi's departure comes after an increasingly difficult period at the City Ground. The 29-year-old found himself behind Chris Wood and Igor Jesus in the striking pecking order last season, and was omitted entirely from Forest's UEFA Europa League squad.

He managed just three starts across the campaign, finishing with four goals from 17 appearances in all competitions. The struggles on the pitch were compounded by a serious injury in May 2025, when Awoniyi ruptured his intestine after colliding with a post during a match against Leicester — a trauma severe enough to require an induced coma.

Coventry's busy summer rebuild

The signing of Awoniyi forms part of an ambitious overhaul at Coventry as the club prepares to compete in the Premier League for the first time in 25 years. Manager Frank Lampard has moved decisively in the transfer window, bringing in several new faces ahead of their top-flight return.

Midfielder Gus Hamer has been re-signed from Sheffield United, while goalkeeper Carl Rushworth has joined permanently following a successful loan spell from Brighton. Winger Loum Tchaouna arrived from Burnley, defender Aurele Amenda crossed over from Eintracht Frankfurt, and Ghana international Caleb Yirenkyi signed from Nordsjaelland.

Lampard's striking resources have been stretched by injury, with Haji Wright currently sidelined. Brandon Thomas-Asante and Ellis Simms are fit and available ahead of Friday's season opener against Arsenal — a contest that now looks set to feature Awoniyi once his move is formalised.