Former Arsenal midfielder Kelechi Nwakali has been frozen out at Barnsley, with manager Conor Hourihane confirming the Nigerian will “probably not” feature again for the first team this season des...
Former Arsenal midfielder Kelechi Nwakali has been frozen out at Barnsley, with manager Conor Hourihane confirming the Nigerian will “probably not” feature again for the first team this season despite still having two years remaining on his deal.
Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images
Nwakali, now 27, joined Barnsley on a three-year deal last summer and made 26 appearances in his debut campaign. However, he has not featured once this season, having been relegated to the under-21s after what Hourihane described as a discipline issue.
Speaking to the Barnsley Chronicle, Hourihane said: “Do I see him breaking back in? Probably not if I am being totally honest. It’s the same message from the summer. We’re looking for the best scenario for club and player. I probably don’t see him fitting into the way we want to play – being really energetic, aggressive and high-tempo.”
Nwakali, once regarded as one of Nigeria’s brightest talents, was signed by Arsenal in 2016 following a standout FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign where he won the Golden Ball.
Photo via Instagram / Nwakali25
The transfer was brokered with the help of Arsenal legend Nwankwo Kanu, but the midfielder never made a senior appearance for the club. Persistent work permit issues meant he spent much of his time out on loan before eventually leaving for SD Huesca in Spain.
Barnsley reportedly tried to move him on during the summer, but were unable to do so. He has since been a regular for the club’s under-21 side.
For a player once tipped for stardom, Nwakali’s career failed to ignite.
At Arsenal, his former U-17 teammate Samuel Chukwueze was also on the verge of joining before that deal collapsed over academy fee disputes. While Chukwueze went on to shine at Villarreal and later earn a move to AC Milan and then a loan to Fulham, where he will face Arsenal this weekend, Nwakali’s career has been marked by missed opportunities. Barnsley is the eighth club he has signed for since joining Arsenal (five loans).
Hourihane has left the door open for discussions before January, but the tone of his comments makes a return to Barnsley’s first-team fold appear increasingly unlikely.
Where Nwakali goes from here remains unclear.
Category: General Sports
