Nantes beat Pafos to former Porto star keen to impress Super Eagles boss Eric Chelle

Super Eagles defender Chidozie Awaziem is closing in on a return to Ligue 1 side FC Nantes, eight years after a successful loan spell at the club.

According to reports from L’Équipe, the 28-year-old is set to sign a three-year contract that would keep him at the Stade de la Beaujoire until June 2028.

Awaziem, currently on the books of MLS side Colorado Rapids, has attracted attention from several clubs, notably Cypriot champions Pafos FC, who had hoped to bring in the centre-back ahead of their first-ever UEFA Champions League campaign. But it appears Nantes have won the race for his signature.

A product of FC Porto’s youth system, Awaziem never fully broke into the Portuguese giants’ first team, managing just 15 appearances. He found more stability during loan spells, including one at Nantes in 2017–18, where his composed performances across 23 games earned him plaudits.

His nomadic career has since taken him across five countries — with stints at Çaykur Rizespor (Turkey), Leganés (Spain), Hajduk Split (Croatia), FC Cincinnati and now Colorado Rapids in the United States. He returned to Boavista permanently in 2020 but found himself repeatedly sent out on loan.

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Despite this constant movement, the Nigerian international has clocked up 33 caps for the Super Eagles, representing the country at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2019 and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

He made his senior debut in 2017 against Togo after earlier being called up for friendlies in 2016.

However, Awaziem has yet to feature under new Super Eagles boss Eric Chelle, who has taken charge of five matches since his appointment.

Still, a return to top-level European football with Nantes could boost the defender’s chances of a recall to the national team, especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on the horizon.

In the MLS this season, Awaziem has made 19 appearances for Colorado Rapids, contributing one assist and playing a vital role in the side’s defensive setup. His brief spell at FC Cincinnati also saw him provide three assists in 14 matches.

While Pafos may remain hopeful, Nantes look set to secure a player who is determined to find long-term stability and reassert himself on both club and international stages.