Champions League-bound Pafos FC confirm interest in Nigeria’s Chidozie Awaziem

By Dayo Awoniyi

Cypriot champions Pafos FC have officially confirmed their interest in Nigerian international defender Chidozie Awaziem as they prepare for their UEFA Champions League qualifying debut and the 2025–2026 domestic campaign.

Speaking to reporters, Pafos club spokesperson Christoforos Mattheou acknowledged the club’s pursuit of the experienced centre-back.

“He is also a player being considered by the planning committee. It is a difficult case, but we are indeed interested,” Mattheou said.

Awaziem, 28, is currently under contract with Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids, having joined in December 2024 on a one-year deal with options through 2027.

While a transfer may be complicated due to the terms of his current contract, Pafos remain undeterred as they look to strengthen their squad for both domestic and continental challenges.

The Super Eagles defender brings a wealth of European experience, having previously played for FC Porto and completed loan spells with Nantes (Ligue 1), Leganés (La Liga), and Boavista (Primeira Liga), where he made 59 appearances. His most successful stint came with Hajduk Split in Croatia, where he won the Croatian Football Cup in 2023.

Internationally, Awaziem has earned 34 caps for Nigeria, featuring at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2019 and 2021 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Pafos FC are currently in pre-season training at the Spanish National Team’s elite facility in Madrid. Their final warm-up fixture will be against Spanish Segunda División side Real Valladolid.

The club’s pursuit of Awaziem underscores its ambition to not only defend its domestic title but also make a competitive impression on the European stage.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

See Full Bio