Nigeria international Kelechi Nwakali will remain at English League One side Barnsley, and Footy-Africa can exclusively report that the appointment of new manager Daniel Stendel influenced the decision.
Nwakali was expected to leave at the end of the season after being deemed surplus to requirements. He was left out of the first team during the most crucial part of the season by former coach Conor Hourihane and was forced to train with the reserve team.
Hourihane later reinstated him into the squad towards the end of the season, where he made four substitute appearances and recorded 52 minutes of action. However, his future remained uncertain, and he was expected to leave.
Kelechi Nwakali back in the fold as Barnsley end midfielder’s exile
Barnsley has now made a U-turn on the midfielder, as he was not listed among the players expected to depart the club this summer.
The club made the announcement over the weekend as part of a series of decisions regarding player futures, including the activation of contract options for several players. Barnsley confirmed that Nwakali is among a group of players retained under contract, alongside Luca Connell, Josh Earl, Kacper Lopata, Corey O’Keeffe, and Jackson Smith.
Nwakali’s agent, Allwell Nwakali, exclusively told Footy-Africa he was delighted to see the player remain at the club and attributed the decision to the new manager. He stated that Daniel Stendel admires the Nigerian international and had a conversation with him, which was one of the key reasons he decided to stay.
Nwakali’s contract is set to expire at the end of next season, and his agent said they are not in a hurry regarding a new deal, although they have yet to receive a proposal for an extension.
Nwakali ‘frustrated’ by Barnsley exile as agent slams ‘unfair’ media treatment
However, he hopes the club will contact them soon to begin negotiations. Nwakali will be grateful to Barnsley’s new coach, Stendel, who signed a two-year contract with the club.
The 52-year-old German succeeds Conor Hourihane, who stepped down at the end of the season after the Tykes finished 15th in League One.
Stendel previously led Barnsley to promotion from the third tier in 2019 with a club-record 91 points but was sacked in October of that year after a poor start to the following season.
