Barnsley head coach confirms decision to let Kelechi Nwakali leave

Barnsley FC head coach Conor Hourihane has confirmed that Nigerian midfielder Kelechi Nwakali will be allowed to leave the League One side before the conclusion of the 2025 summer transfer window.

All the angles of Kelechi Nwakali’s first goal for Barnsley 😍🇳🇬 @nwakali25 pic.twitter.com/CNk3XdS3ea

— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) December 15, 2024

The 26-year-old midfielder, who was one of Barnsley’s key players last season, has been training separately from the first-team squad since his late return from a holiday in Nigeria.  The resulting punishment saw Nwakali omitted from the squad in Barnsley’s games against Plymouth Argyle, Burton Albion, Fleetwood Town and Bolton Wanderers respectively.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the upcoming fixture against Peterborough United, Hourihane confirmed that Nwakali, who was sacked for a similar offence by Spanish side Huesca, isn’t a part of his plans for the season.

“Obviously there’s a couple of weeks to go in the window. Let’s see where it takes us.”

When asked about allowing Nwakali leave, he didn’t mince words with his reply.

“Yes, that’s the plan.”

However a departure could face complications with two more years to go on the contract of Nwakali, who appeared in 26 games across all competitions for the club last season and was even recognized with the club’s Goal of the Month and Player of the Month awards in December and January for his stellar performances.

This is not the first time Nwakali has faced such a situation. His career has been marked by similar disciplinary issues, most notably a previous incident that led to his contract being terminated by Spanish side Huesca for a similar offense.

This latest development at Barnsley highlights a recurring problem for a player widely regarded for his talent, who won the Golden Ball as the best player at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup.