Super Eagles defender Chibuike Nwaiwu could be on the verge of a move away from Trabzonspor ahead of the summer transfer window, with several clubs from Europe’s top five leagues monitoring his progress after an impressive spell so far.
The young defender only joined the Claret-Blues during the January transfer window from Austrian side Wolfsberger AC and has already impressed with his performances so far. Despite joining the club midway into the season, he has already become a mainstay in their squad and has already played 17 times across all competitions for them this season, including every of their league games since his arrival.
The 22-year-old has already been ranked as one of the Turkish league’s best U-23 players given his exploits in a few months after joining and has also helped out in attack, scoring three times, including a memorable winner in the 2-1 win over Galatasaray earlier in the month.
His impressive performances also caught the attention of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, who handed him a maiden invitation to the national team during March’s friendlies against Iran and Jordan and he went on to make his debut against the former.
While Trabzonspor are not willing to sanction a deal, given that the Nigerian defender only joined the club a few months ago, their stance could change if a substantial bid from one of the interested clubs arrives during the summer.
With Nwaiwu attracting interest from across Europe, here are four potential destinations for the Super Eagles centre-back ahead of the summer transfer window.
Fulham (England)
Premier League side Fulham are reportedly leading the race for the signature of the Super Eagles defender and could step up their pursuit if they seal qualification for an European spot at the end of the campaign.
The Cottagers are hoping to strengthen their backline ahead of next season and have identified Nwaiwu as the perfect centre-back pairing for fellow Nigerian Calvin Bassey at the club.
Moving to Fulham represents a major step up for the 22-year-old who was playing in Austria just last year, but his style of play is a good fit for the club and the presence of other Nigerians in the team, including the likes of Bassey, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze, would make adaptation very easy for him in the league.
‘Finidi George and I converted Chibuike Nwaiwu into a defender’ – Yemi Olarenwaju
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen are another club that have been monitoring the situation of Nwaiwu ahead of the summer transfer window and are also hoping to make a bid that could tempt Trabzonspor into a sale.
The former Europa League finalists are likely to lose two of their centre-backs this summer and are already planning ahead with strong interest in the Super Eagles defender, which could see him linkup with compatriot Nathan Tella at the club.
Bayer Leverkusen would offer the 22-year-old regular playing minutes and he would also have a great chance to develop and potentially set him up for another bigger move.
Daniel backs Nwaiwu’s Super Eagles call-up after Chelle’s late invitation
Leeds United (England)
Leeds United are another Premier League side that are interested in making a move for Chibuike Nwaiwu ahead of the summer transfer window.
The Whites were previously interested in the 22-year-old in January, before they were beaten to his signature by Trabzonspor and are ready to reignite their pursuit of the Super Eagles defender as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of next season.
Yemi Olarenwaju backs Chibuike Nwaiwu for Nigeria Super Eagles role
Marseille (France)
French giants Olympique Marseille are another viable option for Chibuike Nwaiwu if he decides to leave Trabzonspor this summer, with the former European champions planning a major shake-up if they manage to qualify for the UEFA Champions League at the end of the season.
Just like Leeds, Marseille are also long-term admirers of Nwaiwu’s quality and are still keeping tabs on the centre-back, although their pursuit could depend on the sale of some other players in the squad.
