Chidozie Collins Awaziem

Chidozie Awaziem is a 29-year-old Nigerian centre back currently playing for Nantes in Ligue 1. He has been a consistent presence in the Nantes backline this season, making 23 appearances and logging over 2,000 minutes across the 2025/26 campaign, underlining his importance to the club's defensive structure.

His season rating of 6.92 reflects a solid if unspectacular contribution, which is broadly in line with what Nantes have asked of him: organised, physical defending rather than anything expansive. He chipped in with a goal and two assists, the latter figure being notable for a centre back and suggesting he is comfortable contributing to build-up play. His most recent rated appearance came in a 2-3 home defeat to Strasbourg in late March, where he registered an assist and played the full 90 minutes with a rating of 6.81. He was substituted off in the 75th minute of a 0-1 home loss to Angers earlier that month, which was his weakest rated game of the recent run at 6.53. He was absent from the starting lineup in the goalless draw at Auxerre in April, a notable omission that may reflect rotation, a minor knock, or a tactical decision by the coaching staff.

Nantes have struggled for consistency in results, with two draws and two defeats across the last four matches in the data, and Awaziem has been part of a defence that has conceded in two of those games. The transfer data indicates activity around him in mid-2024, though the details of those moves are incomplete. SportSignals' AI analysis engine has tracked Nantes across several Ligue 1 fixtures this season, with the club's matches frequently producing tight, low-scoring outcomes.

In Nantes' next fixture, the key question around Awaziem is whether he returns to the starting eleven after his absence against Auxerre. If selected, his aerial ability and experience at this level will be worth monitoring against any side that looks to exploit the channels, given Nantes have shown some vulnerability at the back in recent weeks.