Barnsley’s manager, Conor Hourihane, has confirmed that Nigerian midfielder Kelechi Nwakali is no longer in the club’s plans for the new season, with the club set to part ways with him before the transfer window closes.
Nwakali, who joined the Reds in August 2024 on a three-year contract, has been left out of the squad for the entire summer. He has not featured in any of Barnsley’s pre-season or competitive fixtures. Initially, the player’s absence was attributed to a delayed return following a family matter in Nigeria. However, the situation has now taken a more definitive turn with the manager’s recent comments.
Ahead of Tuesday’s match against Peterborough United, Hourihane was directly asked about Nwakali’s future at the club. His response was succinct but clear: “Yeah, that’ll be the plan. We are looking to move him on.” This leaves little room for doubt about the 26-year-old’s future at Oakwell.
When asked if Barnsley’s strong start to the season, having won their first two league games, would impact their decisions in the transfer window, Hourihane was adamant that the situation remained unchanged.
“No. It’s still the same scenario and thought process. We’re still pinpointing areas we need to improve,” he said. “Hopefully, if we can get that done between now and the end of the window, we’ll be in a decent place.”
Nwakali, who made 26 appearances for Barnsley last season, found himself out of contention as the campaign progressed. Hourihane had previously hinted at his uncertain status, stating, “Time will tell. There was a scenario that happened from my point of view. He hasn’t been involved in the squad over the course of pre-season.”
The Nigerian midfielder’s career has been marked by frequent moves since leaving Arsenal in 2016 without making a senior appearance. He had loan stints at MVV Maastricht, VVV-Venlo, and Porto, before joining Spanish club Huesca in 2019. However, his time at Huesca ended abruptly in 2022, following a public dispute with the club over unfair treatment and pressure not to attend the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria. After Huesca, Nwakali played for Ponferradina and Chaves before making the move to Barnsley.
Now, it appears that his time in South Yorkshire is coming to an end. The club is yet to decide whether his departure will be on loan or permanent.
