Kelechi Nwakali has been speaking to the press after his deadline day move to the Netherlands because of the problems Arsenal had in securing a work permit for the talented youngster.

Voted the best player at the u17 World Cup, marking him as one of the best in the world in his age group, the Home Office still deemed him to be insufficiently special enough to warrant a visa that would have allowed him to acclimatise to life in his new country.

Instead, Arsenal have had to send him to join Stefan O’Connor at MVV Maastricht, a side that plays in the Dutch second division.

Speaking to Africanfootball.com, Nwakali said, “I’m happy about the loan deal to  Maastricht since it would give me more playing time.

“I have been doing well at training since I joined Arsenal, but it is unfortunate they could not secure my work permit, so going to Maastricht is a step in the right direction for me.” 

The youngster has been told that should he fail to like life with the club he will be able to cut his loan deal short, but not until January.

I guess this gives him enough time to push past the natural unease he might experience being in such a completely different world to the one he left at home, immersed in a different language and culture far from family and friends.