Super Eagles midfielder poised for Barnsley exit as agent cries out

Super Eagles and Barnsley midfielder Kelechi Nwakali could exit the League One club at the end of the season, Afrik Foot reports.

The 27-year-old got into the limelight quite early after breaking out in Nigeria’s FIFA U-17 campaign in 2015, alongside the likes of Samuel Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen.

However, Nwakali has struggled to reach the heights those two have hit, and it isn’t a talent problem.

From his time in the Arsenal academy to his spell at Huesca in Spain, and now in Barnsley, his attitude problems have always shadowed his footballing prowess.

Super Eagles: Nwakali’s agent hits out at Barnsley

Nwakali hasn’t played for Barnsley since April 2025, although his contract with the Colliers runs until the summer of 2027.

His agent, however, Allwell Nwakali, has hit out at the EFL League One side for intentionally trying to crash the player’s transfer value by refusing to play him.

“He is at Barnsley working hard and training, and it is unfortunate that he hasn’t had the chance to play,” the agent of the Super Eagles star said in an interview with Footy Africa.

“It is very frustrating because Kelechi is a very talented boy who can contribute to any team,” he continued.

“It is difficult to maintain your market value when you aren’t playing, but we remain hopeful of finding the right solutions.

“If Barnsley want to give him a chance to play, we would be happy, but if not, we will look for other solutions when the transfer window reopens in the summer.

“The media, especially the local media, has not been fair to him. I don’t know why they continue to write negative stories,” the agent added.

“Most of these reports are untrue. I have even contacted some outlets to find out why they are publishing such malicious content.

“It hasn’t stopped him from attracting interest from new clubs, but it has perhaps made it more difficult for him to get back into the national team.

“The primary issue remains a lack of playing time. While team selection is ultimately the coach’s decision, we are not happy with the situation.

“However, we are confident this phase will soon be over,” Allwell Nwakali concluded.

Kelechi Nwakali’s last appearance for the Super Eagles of Nigeria was at the AFCON 2021 tournament in Cameroon.