By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
FC Nantes have officially announced the signing of Nigerian international Chidozie Awaziem, who rejoins the Ligue 1 outfit on a three-year contract following his departure from Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids.
The move comes just weeks after fellow Nigerian Moses Simon completed his switch from Nantes to Paris FC, ensuring continued Super Eagles representation at the club.
Awaziem, 27, returns to the Yellow and Greens seven years after his initial loan spell in 2017 from FC Porto.
The versatile defender, who began his professional career at El Kanemi Warriors in Nigeria, expressed deep affection for the club and excitement about the next chapter of his career.
“When the opportunity presented itself, I didn’t hesitate for a single second to come back, because for me, Nantes is like home,” Awaziem said in his first interview with the club.
“The people are lovely, the club is great, and I was really looking forward to returning to this environment.”
“From a sporting perspective, I want to do everything I can to help the club achieve its goals, win trophies, compete at the highest level against the best teams, and bring FC Nantes back to the top,” he added.
Awaziem’s return comes at a crucial time for Nantes, who narrowly avoided relegation last season. His experience in Europe and international football is expected to provide added stability and depth to the squad.
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.
