Chibuike Nwaiwu’s family life behind Fulham and Palace snub

Chibuike Nwaiwu’s settled family life in Turkey has become a major factor in his decision to turn down interest from Fulham and Crystal Palace. The 23-year-old defender’s comments come as Palace sit 16th in the Premier League with 0 points from 1 match after a 0-2 defeat.

Fulham had reached an agreement with Nwaiwu on personal terms, but negotiations with Trabzonspor stalled over the transfer fee. The London club first proposed €20m before increasing its package to €28m, including €25m guaranteed and €3m in performance-related bonuses. Trabzonspor rejected both offers and placed a valuation of between €30m and €35m on the Nigeria international.

Palace later entered the race with an offer of about €30m, but that proposal was also rejected as Trabzonspor continued to demand €35m. Any move to Fulham would have taken Nwaiwu to Craven Cottage alongside Nigeria teammates Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey.

Nwaiwu has now indicated that his personal circumstances are part of the reason staying in Trabzon appeals to him. He and his partner, Melissa, welcomed a daughter on 27 May, and he has described his family as settled and happy in the Turkish city. He also said he wants to concentrate on his football and remains under contract with Trabzonspor.

The defender joined Trabzonspor from Wolfsberger AC in January 2026 and quickly became a regular. He made 21 appearances in all competitions, scored 3 goals and helped the club win the Turkish Cup. His progress also brought 3 senior caps for Nigeria, while his contract runs until June 2030.

Nwaiwu featured as Trabzonspor defeated Istanbul Başakşehir 2-1 in the second week of the Süper Lig season. Palace, meanwhile, have lost 0-3 at Bromley, beaten Swindon Town 5-1 and Rayo Vallecano 1-0, lost 1-2 to Arsenal and drawn 2-2 at Brentford in their recent matches. Their next Premier League fixture is at home to Manchester City on 28 August 2026.