Nwaiwu becomes Nigeria’s 4th most valuable CB, Osimhen remains Super Lig’s value king

Following the latest market value update released by Transfermarkt, there have been notable changes in the valuation of several Nigerian footballers playing in Turkey and England’s second tier, Soccernet.ng reports.

The biggest positive movement comes from Chibuike Nwaiwu, whose impressive start to life with Trabzonspor has pushed his market value to a career-high €7 million.

The 22-year-old centre-back only joined the Turkish side in January from Wolfsberger AC in a deal worth about €5.5 million. His rapid development since then has caught the attention of many observers.

Nwaiwu’s journey has been remarkable. Just two years ago, he was still playing domestic football in Nigeria with Enyimba International, after previously representing Heartland.

Since arriving in Turkey, the defender has made an immediate impact. In his first seven games in the Süper Lig, he has scored two goals and provided one assist while helping Trabzonspor record five wins and just one defeat during that period.

Those performances have helped him climb the list of Nigeria’s most valuable centre-backs. Nwaiwu now ranks fourth behind Fulham's Calvin Bassey, Honest Ahanor of Atalanta BC, and SK Slavia Prague ace Igoh Ogbu.

Bassey and Ogbu are already regular members of the Super Eagles and both featured at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria finished third. With his strong performances in Turkey, it appears increasingly likely that Nwaiwu could soon receive his first international call-up.

Mixed fortunes for Nigerians in Turkey and England

Elsewhere in the Turkish top flight, other Nigerian players have experienced different outcomes in the latest valuation update.

Star striker Victor Osimhen remains the most valuable player in the Süper Lig, with a market value of €75 million while playing for Galatasaray SK.

However, that figure has not increased since his permanent transfer to Galatasaray last summer. The unchanged valuation is somewhat surprising given his strong form this season.

Osimhen has been in excellent scoring shape, netting four goals at the Africa Cup of Nations, ten in the Turkish league and seven in the UEFA Champions League. Despite those numbers, his value remains the same as when he first arrived in Istanbul.

There is also no shift in the value of Paul Onuachu, despite the 31-year-old striker netting an incredible 18 goals to sit at the top of the Super Lig scorer'a chart.

There was better news for Anthony Dennis, who plays for Göztepe SK. The midfielder’s value has climbed to €8 million after a series of strong performances. Dennis has scored three goals in 22 league matches and has been one of his club’s most consistent players.

Forward Henry Onyekuru, who now plays for Gençlerbirliği SK, has also experienced a decline. The Super Eagles attacker has struggled to make a strong impact since returning to Turkey, and his market value has dropped to €1.5 million.

Meanwhile, several Nigerians playing in the EFL Championship have seen their market values drop.

Striker Josh Maja is now valued at €6 million, while the value of Bright Osayi-Samuel has fallen to €5.5 million. Midfielder Joe Aribo has also seen his valuation decrease, with his current figure standing at €2.8 million.