Barnsley retain Nwakali for next season

English League One club Barnsley have announced that Nigeria international midfielder Kelechi Nwakali will stay on at the club after being included in the club’s retained list.

The news was confirmed by the Tykes via the club’s official website on Sunday as the 2025-26 season concluded.

Following the conclusion of our 2025/26 season, our released and retained list can now be confirmed.

➡️ https://t.co/TL2qP3949B pic.twitter.com/XXZhXVjacB

— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) May 17, 2026

Nwakali’s future at the club had been shrouded in uncertainty over the past year after a difficult spell, having made 26 appearances in his first season before losing his place under former manager Conor Hourihane.

Surprise turn of events for Barnsley midfielder

The 27-year-old, who has a year left on his current contract, was expected to leave the club at some point during recent transfer windows, but a move away from the Oakwell Stadium never happened.

Having been made surplus to requirements, Nwakali was sidelined with the development squad before returning to the first team towards the tail end of the campaign to make four substitute appearances. Despite all the setbacks, the club has decided to keep the Nigerian midfielder in its plans for the upcoming season.