Chidozie Awaziem has joined his new club, FC Nantes, for pre-season as they gear up for the upcoming campaign.
The Nigerian defender already made his debut on Saturday in a friendly against Stade Rennais, which ended in a 3–2 loss for Nantes.
The match featured an unusual format of three periods of 45 minutes each.
Awaziem’s next two pre-season games will be against Angers and Paris FC, scheduled for the 2nd and 9th of August, respectively.
He is expected to make his first competitive appearance for Nantes in the opening weekend of Ligue 1 against Paris Saint-Germain on the 17th of August.
It promises to be a mouthwatering clash for Awaziem, as PSG are coming off a remarkable season, having won the quadruple and finished as runners-up in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Awaziem will need to be at his best, as a strong performance could solidify his place in the starting lineup for the season.
Nantes have been active in the transfer market, focusing on strengthening their defense and midfield. They have signed six players, including:
Johann Lepenant from Olympique Lyon for €2.5 million
Chidozie Awaziem from Boavista for €1.5 million
Hyeok-kyu Kwon from Celtic for €250,000 (defensive midfielder)
Uroš Radaković, a Serbian centre-back from Sivasspor (free transfer)
Youssef El Arabi, former Morocco international striker (free transfer)
Alexis Mirbach, a 20-year-old French goalkeeper from FC Metz (free transfer)
Nantes will need to perform at their best to maintain their Ligue 1 status this season.
Many French football fans have tipped them as favorites to go down after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.
