Kelechi Nwakali: Struggling Super Eagles star gets lifeline at League One’s Barnsley

Super Eagles midfielder Kelechi Nwakali could find a way back at Barnsley after returning to action for the club on Tuesday, Afrik-Foot reports.

​The Super Eagles midfielder has had a topsy-turvy career so far. He was one of the standout players at the 2015 Under-17 World Cup, but he has yet to fully live up to those high expectations.

​He joined Barnsley in 2024 after leaving the Portuguese side Chaves and enjoyed a decent first season at the club.

However, at the start of this season, things went awry for him at the League One side. He arrived late to the club following the summer holidays, which resulted in disciplinary action. There were even rumors that he would be moved on.

​However, the club failed to secure a move for the 27-year-old midfielder, leaving him without any match activity since the start of the campaign.

​But after almost nine months on the sidelines, Nwakali played his first game of the season on Tuesday. He was introduced as a 72nd-minute substitute while Barnsley was trying to overturn a 1-0 deficit.

​However, he could not influence the result much, as the game ended with that same scoreline after 90 minutes.

​A Way Back For Kelechi Nwakali At Barnsley?

​Kelechi Nwakali has often had problematic relationships with the various clubs he has joined.

Following these issues at Barnsley at the start of the campaign, coach Conor Hourihane stated that the club was planning to part ways with the Nigerian.

​However, after Nwakali featured on Tuesday, the coach indicated there was a possibility that the former Arsenal man might remain at the club.

​”It’s only right for everyone to look forward to the new season, to the new manager,” Hourihane said.

​”In the discussions between myself and the club, we were all in agreement that for the last four games, we could look further afield. That was part of the negotiation.”

​Nwakali currently has a contract that runs until the end of next season. Perhaps this could be the start of a fresh chapter for him.