Nwakali Frozen Out at Barnsley as Manager Confirms Midfielder Unlikely to Play Again This Season

Former Arsenal midfielder Kelechi Nwakali has been dropped from Barnsley’s first-team setup, with manager Conor Hourihane admitting the Nigerian “probably won’t” feature for the club again this season.

Hourihane, speaking recently to the Barnsley Chronicle, addressed Nwakali’s uncertain future, revealing that the 27-year-old has been training with the under-21s due to disciplinary reasons.

Nwakali joined Barnsley on a three-year deal two summers ago and made 26 appearances in his debut campaign. However, he is yet to play a single match this season.

“Do I see him breaking back in? Probably not, if I’m being totally honest,” Hourihane said. “It’s the same message from the summer — we’re looking for the best scenario for both club and player. I just don’t see him fitting into our style, which demands high energy, aggression, and tempo.”

Once regarded as one of Nigeria’s brightest young prospects, Nwakali signed for Arsenal in 2016 after captaining the Golden Eaglets to victory at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he also won the Golden Ball award. His move was facilitated by Arsenal legend Nwankwo Kanu, but work permit challenges prevented him from making a senior appearance for the club.

He later moved across several clubs, including SD Huesca in Spain, before joining Barnsley. Despite efforts to offload him last summer, no transfer materialized, and he has since featured regularly for the youth team.

With two years left on his current contract, Nwakali’s future at Barnsley remains uncertain, though Hourihane hinted that discussions could resume ahead of the January transfer window.