EXPLAINED: Why Kelechi Nwakali has not made his Barnsley debut
Following Barnsley’s 1-0 victory over Sheffield United in the second round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, manager Darrell Clarke shed light on why summer signing Kelechi Nwakali did not make his debut in the match.
The Reds announced the signing of the Nigerian international on August 12, but the transfer was pending visa and international clearance. Since then, Nwakali has missed five consecutive games for Barnsley.
Nwakali, the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup Golden Ball winner, only began training with his new teammates last week after receiving his visa from the British authorities. His absence from pre-season preparations means he still needs to build up his match fitness.
Clarke acknowledged this, explaining why Nwakali was not yet ready to take the field: “He’s building his training minutes up. He’s a little bit away but nice for the nine substitutes tonight. Managed to get him on the bench but unfortunately not on the pitch.”
Clarke emphasized the importance of getting Nwakali and other players up to speed to provide more options for the team: “The lads have been working in the background, running hard, the substitutions, so we will get players up to speed as quick as we can so we get more options.”
Had Kelechi Nwakali featured in the match, it would have marked his first appearance in English football since his departure from Arsenal five years ago. Due to work permit issues, Nwakali was unable to make his debut for Arsenal, leading to loan spells at MVV Maastricht, VVV Venlo, and Porto before he was released in the summer of 2019.
