Super Eagles defender Chidozie Awaziem is closing in on a move to Turkish club Konyaspor, with his departure from French side Nantes now almost finalized, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 29-year-old only rejoined Nantes last summer after a brief spell in Major League Soccer, where he featured for FC Cincinnati and Colorado Rapids before returning to Europe.
Awaziem was one of the Canaries’ standout performers during a difficult campaign, making 26 appearances while contributing one goal and two assists. Despite his impressive displays, he could not prevent the club from suffering relegation from the Ligue 1.
Following the club's relegation, the Super Eagles defender became eager to leave, hoping to continue playing at the highest level as he looks to remain a key part of Eric Chelle's plans ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Nantes, meanwhile, are also open to selling the defender and Konyaspor quickly showed interest in the Nigerian defender as one of their top defensive targets and began exploring a deal.
Awaziem: Super Eagles defender set for new chapter after difficult spell in France
According to L'Equipe via Tribuna, the experienced centre back is set to sign a two-year contract with Konyaspor, with the option of an additional year and the two clubs are currently finalizing the details of a deal worth around €1 million.
If the move is completed, Awaziem will become the latest Super Eagles player to head to Turkey, following Kelechi Iheanacho, who recently joined Bursaspor after leaving Celtic upon the expiry of his contract, as Nigerian presence continues to grow in Turkish football.
Awaziem started his senior career with Portuguese giants Porto and is no stranger to Turkish football. He previously spent a loan spell at Rizespor from Porto in 2019, before returning to the league in 2021 for another loan spell at Alanyaspor after joining Boavista.
Konyaspor have been keen to strengthen their defence with an experienced centre back and moved quickly to take advantage of Awaziem's situation at Nantes. His previous experience in the Turkish Super Lig was another major factor behind their interest, as he would require little time to settle into his new surroundings.
The transfer is expected to cost around €1 million, and once the final paperwork and medical examinations are completed, Awaziem will officially begin the next chapter of his career as a Konyaspor player.
