Royal Excel Mouscron are set to hold talks with Liverpool about extending Taiwo Awoniyi's stay at the Belgian First Division A club.

With the Nigeria U23 invitee valued in the region of ten million pounds by Liverpool and Mouscron's well-documented financial problems, a permanent transfer to Les Hurlus has to be taken out of the equation but a loan deal could be in the offing if all the parties agree to terms.

Since Awoniyi's return to Royal Excel Mouscron in the January transfer window, they are unbeaten in eight matches, with their number fourteen scoring seven goals and making the Team of the Week for six successive weeks.

Mouscron director Paul Allaerts acknowledged that retaining the Nigerian will be a difficult task.

He told Het Laatste Nieuws: "But you never know. Liverpool are satisfied, and so is Taiwo. I am convinced that he can be top scorer next season.''

Awoniyi penned a new multi-year contract with Liverpool before heading to Gent last summer.

Igho Kingsley