Barnsley midfielder Kelechi Nwakali linked with Cyprus move

Nigeria midfielder Kelechi Nwakali is being linked with a move from Barnsley to Omonia 29th May in the Cyprus League.

The 28-year-old central midfielder joined Barnsley from Portuguese club Chaves on 12 August 2024 and remains under contract with the League One side until 30 June 2027. The move would represent a return to European football outside England for Nwakali, who has spent much of his senior career in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands.

Nwakali has not featured for Barnsley this season, recording no appearances in either League One or the EFL Cup after the opening two possible matches listed for the campaign. He has also been absent from the starting line-up and has yet to register a goal or assist this term.

A transfer to Omonia 29th May would add another chapter to a career that began with Arsenal’s youth set-up after he joined from Diamond Academy in 2016. He later spent time on loan with MVV Maastricht, VVV-Venlo and FC Porto B before making a permanent move to SD Huesca in 2019.

Nwakali was part of Huesca’s Spanish second-tier title-winning squad in 2019-20 and was named player of the year at the 2015 Under-17 World Cup, which Nigeria won. Any move to Cyprus would come with the player still contracted to Barnsley and carrying a listed market value of €200,000.