Fulham FC have reportedly stepped up their pursuit of Chibuike Nwaiwu after submitting an improved offer worth approximately €28 million (around ₦44 billion) to Turkish side Trabzonspor.
The 22-year-old Super Eagles defender has emerged as one of the hottest defensive prospects in Europe following an outstanding second half of the 2025-26 season.
Nwaiwu joined Trabzonspor in January and wasted little time establishing himself as a key figure in the club’s backline, producing a series of impressive displays that helped transform the team’s defensive fortunes.
His stock rose even further after starring in Trabzonspor’s 2-1 victory over Konyaspor in the Turkish Cup final in May, a performance that reinforced his reputation as one of the Turkish league’s brightest young defenders.
The Nigerian international’s rapid development has attracted significant interest across Europe, with clubs from the Premier League and Italy’s Serie A monitoring his progress ahead of the summer transfer window.
Fulham are now believed to have moved to the front of the queue by increasing their bid as they seek to strengthen their defence for the new Premier League campaign.
Should the transfer materialise, it would represent a remarkable rise for Nwaiwu, whose impressive performances over the past six months have transformed him into one of Nigeria’s most valuable defensive assets and one of the continent’s most sought-after young centre-backs.
