The Nigeria international has reflected on his career and hopes to make up for lost time and opportunities

Kelechi Nwakali has expressed his regret for joining Portuguese side Porto and now looks forward to a new beginning with his Spanish club Huesca.

The 22-year-old was snapped up by Premier League giants Arsenal in 2016 following his blistering performances for Nigeria at the 2015 U17 World Cup, where he scooped the Golden Ball award.

The midfielder spent most of his time away from the Emirates Stadium, featuring for MVV Maastricht and VVV-Venlo.

The Nigeria international joined Porto B on loan with an assurance of playing with the club’s first team but such an opportunity never surfaced before departing from the side.

“I regret making the move, that was a mistake from me and the agency,” Nwakali told BBC Sport.

“They [agency] have a lot of players and I needed to go to another place where they have my interest at heart and where they can focus on me.

“I was told when I moved that I would train and play with the first team and there was an option to buy me on a permanent deal which sounded good.

“But after three months of training with the first team, it wasn’t looking like I would join the first team any time soon.”

Nwakali did not play a single game for Arsenal during his three-year stay at the Emirates Stadium before permanently leaving the club last summer.

“There was a time, I was having doubt in myself, I wondered if I was not up to it anymore. It was difficult mentally for me but my mind was made up, that I had to leave,” he continued.

The midfielder did not play for almost a year as he was stuck in Nigeria due to visa issues after featuring for the Super Eagles in a friendly against Liberia in 2018.

“It was difficult mentally not playing for a year, so going through all of that and coming on the Internet to see someone say, I am gallivanting, was hurtful, I was bothered,” he added.

“A lot of Nigerian fans had the impression that I am just sitting in Nigeria doing nothing.

“I didn’t have a Portuguese resident card, it wasn’t ready before I left, but I had to come to that game [vs Liberia] because that was my first official call-up for the Super Eagles and after I was stuck in Nigeria for three months.

“It was difficult getting a visa back to Portugal, I couldn’t get back to my club for three months and by the end of the season no one wanted to take me, they said I hadn’t been playing.

“I learnt a lesson that it is important you do well at your club side first, the national team is important, but some important decisions need to be made, that will help my career in the future and I didn’t make the right one in the right moment.”

On resolving his visa problems, Nwakali made five Segunda Division appearances for Huesca as they secured promotion to La Liga last season, 

The midfielder hopes to play more consistently for the El Alcoraz outfit and prove his worth with the club.

“It is a new beginning, I have had my ups and downs, but this is the time to make it right again, this is the time to get it back on track,” he added.

“As the season progresses, I believe I am going to play more, right now I also play as a number four, the coach is trying to see the roles for which he can always feature me,” he explains.

“I can play as a number 10, 8 and 4 and I believe it’s a great advantage for me and I can always help the team.”

Nwakali made his La Liga debut against Villarreal on Sunday and will hope to play a part when Huesca take on Cadiz on September 20.

source:- goal