Kelechi Nwakali

Kelechi Nwakali, born on 5 June 1998 in Nigeria, is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. He began his career at the Diamond Football Academy and joined Arsenal after impressing at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he won the Golden Ball Award. Nwakali had several loan spells during his time with Arsenal. In 2016, he moved to MVV Maastricht on loan and made his debut against Jong Ajax. In 2017, he joined VVV-Venlo on loan but returned to MVV Maastricht midway through the season after only playing 380 minutes in the Eredivisie. He later joined FC Porto B on loan for the 2018–19 season. In September 2019, Nwakali signed a three-year deal with SD Huesca in Spain. He made his La Liga debut in September 2020 but was loaned to AD Alcorcón later that year. In April 2022, his contract with Huesca was terminated after disputes over wages and team management. After leaving Huesca, Nwakali joined SD Ponferradina in July 2022 and later signed for Primeira Liga club Chaves in July 2023. He then moved to EFL League One club Barnsley on 12 August 2024. Nwakali represented Nigeria at the U-17 level, captaining the team to a FIFA U-17 World Cup win in 2015 and earning the Golden Ball Award. He was called up for the senior team for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations but did not play due to contract issues. His career has been marked by loan moves across Europe, with notable appearances ...