Fulham are monitoring two of Trabzonspor's standout performers this season, with the Premier League club understood to have scouted Nigerian centre-back Chibuike Nwaiwu and Cape Verde right-back Wagner Pina ahead of the summer transfer window.

Who are the targets?

Nwaiwu, 22, has made a sharp impression since arriving at Trabzonspor in January. The defender scored the winning goal against league leaders Galatasaray earlier this month and has added two further goals — both in a victory over Fatih Karagümrük. His form has also earned him a first senior cap for Nigeria, following an 18-month spell in Austrian football with Wolfsberger AC.

Pina, 23, operates at right-back and has been equally influential, registering six league assists during the 2025/26 campaign. The Cape Verde international joined Trabzonspor after two years with Portuguese side Estoril and is widely expected to feature in his country's World Cup squad.

Why Fulham need reinforcements

The interest makes sense when you look at Fulham's defensive profile. Marco Silva's side have relied heavily on Timothy Castagne and Kenny Tete at right-back this season, but both players turn 31 later this year. Castagne has 12 months remaining on his Craven Cottage deal, while Tete has one additional year beyond that — meaning the club face a significant decision over the position.

At centre-back, there could also be movement. Issa Diop and Jorge Cuenca have featured less regularly behind first-choice pairing Joachim Andersen and Calvin Bassey. Both Bassey — a Nigeria international — and Diop are out of contract in just over a year.

Competition from the Bundesliga

Fulham will not have a free run at either player. Both Nwaiwu and Pina are said to be attracting interest from the Bundesliga, with Bayer Leverkusen among the clubs credited with monitoring the pair.

The potential arrivals would represent an unusual transfer direction. In recent years the flow has largely moved from the Premier League into the Turkish Süper Lig, with only occasional exceptions — Ferdi Kadioglu's move to Brighton and Altay Bayindir's transfer to Manchester United among the more notable examples of Turkish talent heading to England. Fulham signing two players from Trabzonspor in a single window would be a genuine statement of intent in that regard.

Fulham were among the quietest clubs in the market last summer, completing the signings of Kevin from Shakhtar Donetsk, Samuel Chukwueze on loan from AC Milan, and experienced backup goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte. Jonah Kusi-Asare also joined on loan from Bayern Munich with an option to buy, but has made little impact and is expected to return to Germany.