Fulham in talks with Trabzonspor over €30m Chibuike Nwaiwu deal as payment structure stalls agreement

Fulham’s bid to sign Super Eagles defender Chibuike Nwaiwu from Trabzonspor has reached an advanced stage, but the deal remains on hold because the two clubs cannot agree how the upfront portion of the transfer fee should be paid.

The Premier League side have identified the Nigeria international as a key defensive signing for this transfer window as they seek a replacement for Morocco World Cup centre-back Issa Diop, who has left Craven Cottage to join top-flight newcomers Ipswich Town.

While the overall fee is not thought to be in dispute, the structure of the initial payment has emerged as the major sticking point in negotiations with the Turkish club.

Dispute over upfront fee

Trabzonspor are understood to value Nwaiwu at around €30m and want roughly half of that sum – about €15m – to be paid immediately as part of the agreement.

Fulham, however, are pushing for a smaller down payment and are instead proposing a deal that would see more of the fee spread over staged instalments, supplemented by performance-related add-ons.

Reports in Turkiye, including from sports daily Fanatik, indicate that both clubs remain in contact and that talks are continuing, but the gap in expectations over the guaranteed money due upfront is currently preventing a breakthrough.

Trabzonspor plan for life after Nwaiwu

With the prospect of losing one of their key defenders, Trabzonspor have already begun assessing potential replacements for Nwaiwu.

Among the players being closely monitored is Nordsjælland’s highly rated Denmark Under-21 international Noah Markmann, who has become the latest defender to be strongly linked with a move to the Turkish Super Lig club.

However, Trabzonspor are not alone in their interest. Lazio are also tracking Markmann, adding competition to any potential pursuit of the 21-year-old and complicating Trabzonspor’s succession planning should Nwaiwu depart.

Nwaiwu still involved in pre-season

Despite the uncertainty over his future and the ongoing transfer discussions, Nwaiwu remains part of Trabzonspor’s pre-season schedule.

The 23-year-old featured on Sunday, coming on for the second half of Trabzonspor’s 3-0 defeat by German side Eintracht Frankfurt in a friendly as the Black Sea club continue preparations for the new campaign.

His involvement underlines that, for now, no agreement has been reached and no medical or final paperwork has been scheduled, with the clubs still trying to find common ground on how the proposed €30m fee would be paid.

Fulham’s need to reinforce at centre-back following Diop’s departure, combined with Trabzonspor’s valuation and replacement plans, means both sides have strong incentives to conclude a deal, but the structure of the upfront payment remains the primary obstacle to Nwaiwu’s move to the Premier League.