Michael Edwards strikes again with outrageous £10m asking price for loanee

The Reds’ young Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi is set to leave the club this summer and Michael Edwards is working his magic again, according to reports from Football Insider and the Echo.

According to the former, Bundesliga side Schalke have begun preliminary talks with the 21-year-old, hopeful they can see off other rivals in Germany, France, and Belgium and secure his signature despite persistent work permit issues precluding him from playing for us.

The Echo have claimed our asking price for Awoniyi is a Michael Edwards-inspired £10 million; a bemusingly good fee for a player who has never even kicked a ball for us!

Edwards will have used his godlike negotiating skills to make a considerable profit on the striker who arrived on a long-term deal in 2015 from Nigeria’s Imperial Academy: he cost £400,000.

The young striker could be leaving Merseyside if there fails to be any movement with his continued work permit problems.

Awoniyi has been gaining plaudits for his performances out on loan; most recently, the centre-forward impressed out at Belgian side Mouscron netting a dozen goals in 37 matches.

We’re not quite sure if he would be able to break into Jürgen Klopp’s first-team squad, so a move away could benefit all parties and Schalke is honestly a very decent club for the lad.

With a Nigeria squad to break into, administrative obstacles at Anfield, and possibly £10 million coming our way, perhaps the time has come to turn five loan spells into one permanent move for him.

Awoniyi could be one of a host of young players on the outside looking in that will likely depart the club this season, along with the likes of Ryan Kent, Sheyi Ojo, Ovie Ejaria, and Rafa Camacho.