Forest to battle Tottenham for French striker – What is Awoniyi’s fate?

Taiwo Awoniyi's injury problems haven't allowed him to enjoy his football at Nottingham Forest…

Nottingham Forest are set to battle Tottenham Hotspur for France U-23 and Stade Rennes striker Arnaud Kalimuendo, Soccernet.ng reports.

Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side are keen on building squad depth in attack, as they'll be competing in Europe in the coming season after a brilliant domestic campaign last term.

The Reds have sold one of their standout performers from last season in the person of Anthony Elanga, moving the ex-Manchester United winger to Newcastle United.

Forest have scored only one goal in four preseason outings so far this summer, raising eyebrows about their goal-scoring abilities ahead of the upcoming season.

As per TEAMtalk, Nottingham Forest are among the teams with a concrete interest in Kalimuendo and are said to have held talks with the player’s representatives.

Tottenham Hotspur have established communication with the 23-year-old, and he's reportedly high on their ‘shortlist’ of potential targets after the Europa League winners confirmed they'll be parting ways with Son Heung-Min. Leeds United have also been monitoring the player for some time.

Kalimuendo joined Stade Rennes from Paris Saint-Germain three years ago, and he scored 10 goals in the French top flight last season.

A £30 million price tag has been placed on the head of the former France Under-23 international, who has also been linked with RB Leipzig and Villarreal, meaning Forest have to act fast if they want to secure the services of the 23-year-old.

What This Means for Taiwo Awoniyi

While Forest want to sign Kalimuendo, they've also brought in Brazilian striker Igor Jesus from Botafogo.

Chris Wood scored 20 Premier League goals last season, a career high for the Kiwi, and it only makes sense for Forest to have sufficient backups since they'll be competing on several fronts next season.

Wood is also 33 years old, which gives a bit of a safety net to Forest's second-choice strikers, as they'll have regular game time, but what does this mean for Awoniyi?

With Jesus' arrival and Kalimuendo on the way, the former Union Berlin striker might have fallen further down the pecking order.

Awoniyi had two groin injuries last season before suffering a nasty abdominal rupture against Leicester City.

While his effort whenever fit can rarely be faulted, his injury record might force the club to find other options, and it appears that has happened.

Nuno has paired Jesus and Chris Wood in attack in the Forest's last two friendlies, but Taiwo Awoniyi is yet to feature as he's still working his way back up to full fitness.

If Forest are going to keep Awoniyi for another season, it'll be a make-or-break campaign for the former Mainz 05 man, as he needs to fight for his spot at the City Ground, or else they might part ways as his current deal runs out in the summer of 2027.