Arsenal midfielder, Kelechi Nwakali stranded in Nigeria for a month after passport blunder

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says it is working hard to secure the visa that will enable stranded youth international Kelechi Nwakali to return to Portugal.

The 20-year-old Arsenal midfielder, who is on loan at FC Porto's B team, is unable to leave Nigeria almost a month after playing in a qualifier for the 2020 Olympic men's football tournament.

Officials confirmed that Nwakali was in Portugal on a single-entry visa and so now needs a renewal to return after he played on 25 March, however, the process is taking longer than they hoped.

"The federation has been working hard to get his visa sorted as quickly as possible, but it's taken longer than expected," NFF's director of communications Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport.

"We hope it will come out after the Easter break to enable Nwakali return to Portugal."

He has made 16 appearances this season for Porto's reserve side, who play in the second tier of Portuguese football, but has now missed the club's last four league matches.

A 2015 Fifa under-17 World Cup and Golden boot winner, Nwakali was snapped up by Arsenal in August 2016 as the Gunners beat a string of Europe's leading sides, including Manchester City, German, Dutch and Spanish clubs to his signing.

He spent time on loan at Dutch clubs VVV-Venlo and MVV Maastricht [two loan spells] between 2016 and 2018 but struggled to make a major impact, before moving to Porto in July 2018. 

Back in August, he earned a call-up to the senior Nigeria squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Seychelles, but did not play.

Nwakali did play for a Nigeria XI in a friendly against Spanish club Atletico Madrid five months before.



Source: http://www.ngg.ng/2019/04/27/arsenal-midfielder-kelechi-nwakali-stranded-in-nigeria-for-a-month-after-passport-blunder/

Js

How can he leave Portugal without sorting his documents? Dumb headed guy rushed down to play for naija as if the country gives a hoot about him if things go sour. I hope he has learnt to put his club first before any other commitments

Village people at work

sorry bro this is Nigeria

Latidoh1:
Js

I know you'll start taking your ancestors about your achievement now

FTC things

Terrible

This zoo (nigeria) has terribly gone to the dogs.



Anybody sacrificing anything for this shithole is making a big mistake.

He should just start playing for heartland then

G

si

Village people nawaoh

His agent should be fired for not sorting out any visa issues before he travelled home for the match. Such incompetency!

Hard one

E be like say the guy believe buhari s words that naija na el darado...



Boy next time be wise

Nigeria embassy pretending to be tough, deep down the only need money to let go.
Failed state.

Shithole

GoTV:
How can he leave Portugal without sorting his documents? Dumb headed guy rushed down to play for naija as if the country gives a hoot about him if things go sour. I hope he has learnt to put his club first before any other commitments

Thank God you didn't start with claiming to be a Christian

Hope MRI won’t reveal your real age soon bros.

That's a 20 year old boy.

THIS GUY WITH BET9JA, I SOON BRING U TO KOGI STATE TO SEE YAHAYA BELLO CUS U THINK LIKE HIM.

SOFTDRINK:
This zoo (nigeria) has terribly gone to the dogs.



Anybody sacrificing anything for this shithole is making a big mistake.

The issue is between him and the Portuguese embassy, not Nigeria.

The guy's club should also have helped him get the proper papers to work and stay in Portugal...

You guys should stop following and worshiping Trump. The US is itself a terrible place in many parts.

GoTV:
How can he leave Portugal without sorting his documents? Dumb headed guy rushed down to play for naija as if the country gives a hoot about him if things go sour. I hope he has learnt to put his club first before any other commitments

That was why Mikel has been missing Nigerian games. How much do they even pay. Bonus that you will fight before you collect?

SOFTDRINK:
This zoo (nigeria) has terribly gone to the dogs.



Anybody sacrificing anything for this shithole is making a big mistake.

Idiot, what's the fault of the Nig govt in this?
The stupid player is to be solely blamed for this

That old woman behind your father's house haven't forgiven you

RichDad1:
Hope MRI won’t reveal your real age soon bros.

NFF has been using MRI for over 8 years.

Nwakali has probably been examined, and his age found out.

Also, one thing...doing well in youth football does not guarantee success at senior level. Ever heard of Le Tallec, the French forward at the U17 2001 world cup? Did not live up to expectations, no.?

Village people sef

ntyce:


Idiot, what's the fault of the Nig govt in this?
The stupid player is to be solely blamed for this

And his club.

His club should have sorted out work permit//papers a long time ago.

GoTV:
How can he leave Portugal without sorting his documents? Dumb headed guy rushed down to play for naija as if the country gives a hoot about him if things go sour. I hope he has learnt to put his club first before any other commitments

he thought Nigeria was a serious country

that is how it goes......