Barnsley head coach, Darrell Clarke has shed light on why Super Eagles midfielder Kelechi Nwakali has yet to make his debut for the club, attributing it to the Player’s struggle to readjust to English football.
Nwakali, who joined Barnsley at the start of this season after his contract with Portuguese side Chaves expired, was expected to slot into the team with ease, especially as Barnsley compete in League One, the third tier of English football.
However, things haven’t gone as planned, with the 26-year-old midfielder yet to feature in a single minute of action this season.
“Kelechi is a mile off. He needs to do what I’ve told him to do. He needs to get fitter, more high-speed distance running,” Clarke said, per The Yorkshire Post.
“But he’s adapting to the English game again. We will keep working with him.”
Having signed a three-year deal, his future at the club is already in question, and if he fails to deliver, he may find himself moving to an even smaller club.
A Career of Highs and Lows
Kelechi Nwakali’s career has been one of inconsistency, contributing to his journeyman status in European football.
He began his professional journey at Nigeria’s Diamond Football Academy. After an impressive showing at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he won the Golden Ball, and signed with English Premier League giants Arsenal.
However, despite the high expectations, he never played a single match for the Gunners having spent several years on loan at MVV Maastricht, VVV-Venlo, and Porto B.
In 2019, Nwakali moved to Spanish club Huesca, but his time there was turbulent. Huesca were relegated from La Liga in his first season, and by the second season, he was loaned out to Alcorcon for six months.
Upon his return to Huesca, Nwakali began to feature more regularly, but his relationship with the club deteriorated after a late return from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. This eventually led to his contract being terminated.
In 2022, Nwakali joined Ponferradina in Spain’s Segunda División before making a switch to Portuguese side Chaves last season. After just one year, his contract was not renewed, which opened the door for his current move to Barnsley.
At 26, Nwakali’s career has seen its fair share of ups and downs. His latest challenge is to regain his form and fitness to establish himself at Barnsley.
Whether he can overcome this hurdle and realize his potential in English football remains to be seen.
