After his contract with SD Huesca was dissolved in April, Super Eagles midfielder Kelechi Nwakali has officially decided to sign with SD Ponferradina in the Spanish second tier.
The 24-year-old midfielder has found a new team after months of searching, signing a one-year contract with Ponferradina of Spain’s second division.
He played for SD Huesca last season in 19 league games and 2 Copa del Rey matches. Additionally, he also featured for Nigeria on international stage.
After Huesca terminated his contract, Nwakali published an official statement on his Twitter account condemning the way the team had handled him.
The midfielder claimed that the club’s Sporting Director, Ruben Garcia, vowed to stop him from playing for the team if he journeyed to Cameroon to represent the Super Eagles in the 2021 AFCON.
The midfielder joined Huesca in 2019 and played 33 times before leaving the club.
The club confirmed the new signing in a statement on their website:
“Kelechi Nwakali (Owerri, Nigeria, 1998) is a new player for SD Ponferradina. The new Blue and White midfielder will thus continue his career in LaLiga SmartBank, in which he has competed in the last two seasons with AD Alcorcón and SD Huesca.
“Kelechi began his career at the Diamond Football Academy in his country. His qualities caught the attention of Arsenal FC, who signed him for their under-23 team in 2016. Later, he played on loan at MVV Maastrich in the second division of the Netherlands and at VVV Venlo, with whom he competed in the Dutch top flight.”
OFICIAL- Kelechi Nwakali, nuevo jugador de la SD Ponferradina. ¡Bienvenido al Bierzo, @nwakali25!
?https://t.co/ntG45Oqe0p#Adelanteyarriba#100AñosDeportiva pic.twitter.com/EeVvOfD9kJ— SD Ponferradina SAD (@SDP_1922) July 21, 2022
As a free agent who recently committed to the Spanish team, Kelechi Nwakali hopes to help the Blue and White squad in its push for La Liga promotion.