Super Eagles defender Chibuike Nwaiwu has moved to cool speculation over his future, insisting he remains committed to Trabzonspor despite attracting serious interest from Premier League clubs West Ham United and Fulham, as well as Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
“I have an ongoing contract with Trabzonspor, so I need to go back and continue my path with my club,” the 22-year-old told a Turkish television channel in quotes revealed by Footy-Africa.
“Yes, that is my club, and I am a contracted player there. Whatever happens from now on happens.”
The statement aligns with Trabzonspor’s own hardline position. Fulham submitted an offer of around €20m for the centre-back, which was swiftly rejected, and the Turkish club have made clear that only a bid in the region of €35m to €40m would prompt serious discussion about a sale.
With four and a half years remaining on his contract, Trabzonspor are under no immediate pressure to negotiate.
Nwaiwu joined Trabzonspor from Austrian side Wolfsberger in January for €5.5m and wasted little time justifying the investment. He made 21 appearances across all competitions, scored three goals and contributed one assist, and played a key role in the club’s Turkish Cup triumph.
His form earned him a call to the Super Eagles setup and established him as one of the most rapidly rising Nigerian defenders in European football, a journey that has taken him from Enyimba in the Nigeria Premier Football League to the doorstep of a major European transfer in under two years.
Part of Nwaiwu’s preference for remaining in Turkey stems from the playing time and environment Trabzonspor offer. The club will compete in the UEFA Conference League next season, providing European football without the disruptive pressure of arriving at a congested Premier League backline.
Fulham, for instance, already have Joachim Andersen, Jorge Cuenca, Issa Diop and Calvin Bassey competing for centre-back positions, leaving little guarantee of the regular starts on which Nwaiwu has built his reputation.
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