Crystal Palace have identified Super Eagles defender Chibuike Nwaiwu as one of the players under consideration to replace Maxence Lacroix, who is on the verge of completing a move to Chelsea in the next days.
The Blues have reached an agreement worth around £52 million for the French centre-back, with transfer expert David Ornstein reporting that Lacroix is due to undergo a medical on Friday before signing a six-year contract that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2032.
With Lacroix expected to depart, Palace have begun assessing defensive reinforcements. Augsburg defender Chrislain Matsima is understood to be the club’s preferred target, while Trabzonspor’s Nwaiwu has emerged as a strong alternative should negotiations for Matsima fail to produce an agreement.
Nwaiwu has attracted significant interest this summer, with Fulham also monitoring the Nigerian defender. Reports indicate the Cottagers have already agreed personal terms with the 23-year-old and are currently negotiating with Trabzonspor over a transfer fee.
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Trabzonspor, however, are in no rush to sell and are believed to be demanding a minimum of €30 million before they would consider allowing the defender to leave.
The centre-back only arrived at the Turkish club in January 2026 from Austrian outfit Wolfsberger in a deal worth around €6 million. He quickly cemented his place in the starting lineup, making 21 appearances across all competitions while contributing three goals and one assist.
Nwaiwu also played a crucial role in Trabzonspor’s Turkish Cup success, helping the Black Sea Storm claim their first domestic cup title since 2020 following a 2-1 victory over Konyaspor in the final.
His impressive club performances earned him a maiden senior Nigeria call-up in March, with the defender making his debut as a second-half substitute in the Super Eagles’ 2-1 win over Iran.
He subsequently established himself in Eric Chelle’s squad during the 2026 Unity Cup, starting back-to-back matches as Nigeria defeated Zimbabwe and Jamaica to lift the trophy, further enhancing his growing reputation ahead of a potential move to the Premier League.
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