Kelechi Nwakali Light Dimming at Arsenal
News was rife last week that Kelechi Nwakali had dumped Arsenal and moved to Spanish Segunda División club SD Huesca, but his agent and brother was quick to debunk the story. He, however, admitted that the former Nigerian junior international would not st
S panish news outfit, Dairo AS broke the story last week that Arsenal have sold Nigeria midfielder, Kelechi Nwakali, to Spanish Segunda División club SD Huesca and that the Spanish side are on the verge of announcing the deal.
However, the brother to the Arsenal midfielder was quick to say Nwakali was not closing in on an Arsenal exit despite media speculation and that he was not on the verge of joining SD Huesca contrary to reports.
However, he added that the 21-year-old was likely to leave Arsenal this summer. Although the reports linking him with an imminent move to SD Huesca are wide off the mark, Nwakali is still likely to depart Arsenal either on loan or permanently.
The once-capped Nigerian international has never played a senior game for the Gunners. But he has tested some first-team action during loan spells away from the club.
In his short career, Nwakali has spent time with MVV Maastricht (twice), VVV Venlo and FC Porto B. He has racked up a total of 80 career appearances so far. But his future at Arsenal looks bleak.
“The news that Kelechi Nwakali is set to join SD Huesca on a free transfer is not correct, nothing like that for now. If Kelechi is joining a new club, I’ll be the first person to know.
”I know Kelechi will leave Arsenal either on loan or permanent deal, clubs are coming for him. By God’s grace I know we will be able to get a better club and a club that can play him each game, it’s not all about the money.”
Nwakali is now 21 and this is a vital stage in his career. He is clearly not going to make the Arsenal first-team for next season so he should be let go for the sake of his career.
Reports of a free transfer might still be accurate because Arsenal does not need the young midfielder. But the player is clearly holding out for a better offer than SD Huesca, who are playing in the Spanish second tier this season after their La Liga relegation in May.
Born on June 5, 1998, Nwakali started his career at the Diamond Football Academy and after his performances at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, in which he won the Golden Ball Award, he signed with English Premier League side, Arsenal.
On September 2016, it was announced that Nwakali had signed for Eerste Divisie side, MVV Maastrcht on loan for the season. He then made his professional debut for the side the same day against Jong Ajax when he came on as a 92nd-minute substitute for Thomas Verheijdt as MVV won 1–0.
In August 2017, Nwakali joined Dutch side, VVV-Venlo on loan for the first six months of the season. After the initial six-month loan deal expired, he elected to leave Venlo and return to MVV Maastricht for the second half of the season.
Nwakali returned to Maastricht on loan for the second half of the 2017-18 Eerste Divisie season, having played just 380 minutes of Eredivisie football with Venlo.
He was named to the provisional squad for the Nigeria U-17 side before the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup but did not make the final squad. However, coming into the 2015 edition of the tournament he was named captain as he led his country to the title, winning the Golden Ball Award along the way.
The Gunners paid more than three million Euros to sign Nwakali from Diamond Academy in the summer of 2016.
However, the midfielder has not played competitively for their teams because of a work permit obstacle.