“Nantes feels like home” – Chidozie Awaziem on Ligue 1 return

Nigeria international defender Chidozie Awaziem has expressed delight over his return to France’s Ligue 1 with FC Nantes ahead of next season’s football campaign.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by FC Nantes (@fcnantes)

Awaziem joins Nantes following an agreement with USA club Colorado Rapids for the transfer of the 28-year-old Super Eagles center back. The experienced player has signed a contract valid until June 2028.

Awaziem’s first stint at Nantes came during the 2017/18 season where he made 23 appearances on loan and scored one goal.

“When the opportunity came up, I didn’t hesitate for a second to return — because for me, Nantes feels like home. The people are amazing, the club is fantastic, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the chance to come back 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 with the best teams, and bring Nantes back to the top,” Awaziem said.

Awaziem previously played for a number of clubs across Turkey, Spain, Croatia, Portugal, and also in Major League Soccer with Colorado and FC Cincinnati.

He has also been a regular for the Nigerian national team, debuting in 2017 and featuring in the 2018 World Cup and three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments earning 34 caps in total.