West Ham, who are looking to strengthen their squad, are one of approximately three clubs pursuing Trabzonspor's 22-year-old Nigerian defender, Chibuike Nwaiwu. The German clubs Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen have also made inquiries. Bayer Leverkusen has been following the player since his time in Austria. According to information gathered by Footy-Africa, Fulham had previously shown interest.
A source close to the matter confirmed that an approach was made and that Trabzonspor was not willing to complete a deal. That same source also believes the Turkish club does not want to sell Nwaiwu at this stage, as he is considered an important player for their title ambitions, and that an offer between €30 and €35 million would be required for them to consider a sale. Nwaiwu has been capped three times for Nigeria. He joined Trabzonspor in January 2026 from Wolfsberger AC for a fee of €5.5 million and has a contract with the club until June 2030. In the 2025/2026 season, he made 16 Süper Lig appearances and scored three goals. This followed 12 Bundesliga appearances he made earlier in the campaign. Recent reports from May and June 2026 state that Trabzonspor has already rejected offers of up to €20 million for the player. His current Transfermarkt market value is €10.00m.
