Super Eagles news: Nwaiwu tops Turkish Süper Lig defenders in key ranking

Super Eagles defender Chibuike Nwaiwu has enjoyed a remarkable rise in his career and he now ranks among the most valuable defenders in the Turkish Süper Lig, Soccernet.ng reports.

Nwaiwu began his career at Nigerian Premier League side Heartland before moving to Enyimba, where his performances helped the club win the league title in the 2022-23 season.

His impressive displays earned him a move abroad for the first time in 2024 when he joined Austrian side Wolfsberger. The 23-year-old helped the club win their first-ever domestic trophy in the 2024-25 season as they lifted the Austrian Cup.

Nwaiwu then joined Trabzonspor in the winter transfer window earlier this year and quickly became an important player for the club.

The Super Eagles defender helped Trabzonspor win the Turkish Cup last season, and his importance has continued into the current campaign, with Nwaiwu featuring in most of their games.

Nwaiwu: Super Eagles star ranks among Turkish Süper Lig’s most valuable defenders

According to the latest player market values released by Transfermarkt, Nwaiwu is ranked as the joint-most valuable defender in the Turkish Süper Lig, with a market value of €18 million.

The Super Eagles star’s remarkable rise has seen his market value increase significantly over the past year, rising from €10 million earlier this year to his current valuation of €18 million.

Nwaiwu shares the top spot with Galatasaray defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu, who is also valued at €18 million.

Fenerbahçe defender Jayden Oosterwolde is next at €17 million, while Galatasaray’s Davinson Sánchez and Beşiktaş defender Emmanuel Agbadou are valued at €16 million and €14 million respectively and Fenerbahçe’s Kojo Oppong rounds off the top five.

The Trabzonspor star is also ranked second among Nigeria’s most valuable defenders, sharing the position with Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez.

Both players are valued at €18 million, while Calvin Bassey remains ahead of them in the Nigerian defender rankings.

The Super Eagles defender was heavily linked with a move away from Trabzonspor during the summer, with Fulham and Crystal Palace showing strong interest in him. However, no move eventually materialised, and he remained at Trabzonspor.

Nwaiwu’s focus for now will be on making the Super Eagles squad for their international friendly against Russia on Tuesday as Nigeria look to bounce back from their disappointing defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their last outing.