Liverpool Set to Cut Short Taiwo Awoniyi's Loan Spell at Mainz

​Liverpool will cut short Taiwo Awoniyi's loan period at Mainz with a view to hearing other options for the forward, according to reports.

The Nigerian striker has played just six times for the Bundesliga side in 2019/20, and was substituted at half-time against Fortuna Dusseldorf earlier this season.

This is despite his impressive form with Belgian side Royal Excel Mouscron, where he managed 21 goals in 47 games across two prolific loan spells from the Reds.

According to ​Goal, ​Liverpool are now looking to end Awoniyi's underwhelming spell with Mainz in the hope of finding game time for him elsewhere.

The 22-year-old is not short of suitors, with Olympiacos, Montpellier, Brest, Nikes, Besiktas, Leganes and Real Mallorca all listed as interested.

However, it is understood that the player would prefer to stay in Germany if possible, making any of those moves more difficult.

Awoniyi joined Liverpool in 2015 but has yet to make an appearance for Jurgen Klopp's side due to work permit issues.

Since then he has been out on loan at FSV Frankfurt, NEC Nijmegen and Gent as well as his aforementioned couple of spells with Mouscron.

The Nigerian Under-23 international has found himself behind Adam Szalai in the pecking order at Mainz despite the fact that the Hungarian has managed just one goal in 14 Bundesliga appearances this season

He is likely to see even less game time than before if he were to stay with Achim Beierlorzer's side, after their first choice striker Jean-Philippe Mateta returned from injury just before the winter break.

Die Nullfünfer currently sit two places and three points above the Bundesliga relegation zone in fourteenth place.

It is expected that Awoniyi will not be in the squad when they return to domestic league action against Freiburg this Saturday.