August 23, (THEWILL) – Negotiations between Portuguese club Boavista and French side FC Nantes for Nigerian defender, Chidozie Awaziem, have ended without an agreement.
Awaziem, who is under contract with Boavista until 2025, had been linked with a return to Nantes, where he previously spent a season on loan in the 2017/2018 campaign. However, after drawn-out talks, Boavista decided to cut contact with Nantes last week.
The main sticking point was the transfer fee, with Nantes hoping to land the 25-year-old centre-back on a free transfer. Boavista valued Awaziem at €1.5 million and grew frustrated with Nantes’ approach.
The breakdown of talks comes after Awaziem resolved a wage dispute with Boavista last month that could have allowed him to leave for free this summer. With that issue settled, Nantes appeared ready to meet Boavista’s asking price, but negotiations stalled.
Boavista have now made clear it has no plans to sell Awaziem during this transfer window. The club is preparing for its next match against Casa Pia on Sunday, likely with the Nigerian international in the starting lineup.
Awaziem has been a key player for Boavista so far this season, helping the club earn impressive wins over Benfica, at home, and Portimonense, away from home. This has seen Boavista top the early League table on superior goal difference after the first pair of games. Awaziem excelled on loan at Hajduk Split last season and seems to have secured an important role in Boavista’s defence as a part of their starting XI.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
