Chibuike Nwaiwu: Crystal Palace monitor Nigeria and Trabzonspor centre-back in potential Premier League move

Nigeria defender Chibuike Nwaiwu is being linked with a move from Trabzonspor to Crystal Palace as the Premier League club assess centre-back options this summer.

The 23-year-old, who joined Trabzonspor in January 2026, is under contract with the Turkish side until 30 June 2030, meaning Palace would need to agree a fee to prise him away. Nwaiwu currently carries a valuation of around €10 million, and any talks are expected to reflect his long-term deal and recent impact in Turkey’s top flight.

Standing at 1.93m and operating as a right-footed central defender, Nwaiwu has established himself quickly since arriving in Trabzon, where he helped the club to lift the Turkish Cup in the 2025-26 campaign. His performances in the Super Lig have drawn interest from England, with Palace exploring defensive reinforcements ahead of the new season.

Born in Port Harcourt on 23 July 2003, Nwaiwu has already collected domestic honours in three different countries, having previously won the Nigerian championship with Enyimba Aba in 2022-23 and the Austrian Cup with Wolfsberger AC in 2024-25 before his move to Turkey. That trajectory has added to the sense that he could be ready for a step into one of Europe’s major leagues.

No agreement is in place and Trabzonspor are protected by the length of Nwaiwu’s deal, which runs for another four years, leaving the Turkish club in a strong position if formal negotiations with Crystal Palace develop.