'That's the important thing now' - Kelechi Nwakali itching to make league debut for Barnsley 

Nigeria international Kelechi Nwakali is itching to make his league debut for  Barnsley following his summer move from Portuguese club GD Chaves.

The 2015 Fifa U17 World Cup Golden Ball winner was unable to begin training with his new teammates immediately after the transfer was confirmed as he was still waiting for his visa application to be processed.

After his visa came though, the central midfielder was called up for back-to-back matches with Sheffield United and Crawley Town but was an unused substitute in both games. 

Previously, the 26-year-old spent time in England with Arsenal, where he trained with the youth team during pre-season before being sent out on various loan moves.

Barnsley have been helping Nwakali settle in by arranging a new apartment and ensuring he gets everything he needs.

Ahead of a potential debut, the former Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles skipper wore the Reds shirt for the first time in a Professional Development League match against Bristol Rovers, playing for an hour on September 3.

Nwakali revealed that he is approaching his maximum potential fitness-wise. 

"From when I came here and I stopped training, I had to wait for slightly more than a week to get my visa done but now it's coming up, training with the team regularly and even the U21 games, my fitness is coming up better," he told Barnsley's  official YouTube channel. 

"It has been good the way the team plays. As a team we are doing great. All I have to say is to keep the momentum and the result coming like winning the games.

"It comes game by game, like we won the last game so it's the next game we are looking forward to.

"I have seen the team with really good and quality players. It's just to fit into the team gradually and show what you can offer to the team."

After watching two first team games from the sidelines, Nwakali admitted that the next step is to get himself into the team and make his league debut.

"That's the important thing now, it's to get into the team and start playing."

After five games in League One, Barnsley are third in the standings with ten points ahead of their trip to Stevenage on Saturday, September 14.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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