Former Gunner Kelechi Nwakali is in talks to join a new club after his public dispute with SD Huesca over his contract termination earlier this year.

Kelechi Nwakali
Kelechi Nwakali

All Nigeria Soccer report that Spanish second-division side SD Ponferradina are in talks to sign Kelechi Nwakali this summer. They consider him a priority signing and negotiations are going smoothly.

Nwakali was also heavily linked to FC Zurich, but ANS report that deal has stalled amid coaching changes at the club. There is also interest from another unnamed Swiss Super League club, but it seems Ponferradina are in the lead right now.

That move would allow Nwakali to remain in Spain, following his acrimonious departure from SD Huesca.

SD Huesca announced that they were terminating Nwakali’s contract in April. They claimed they’d communicated this decision to the player and wished him the best for the future.

In response to the statement, Nwakali posted one of his own on Twitter.

Nwakali alleged that Huesca Sporting Director Ruben Garcia pressured him not to go to AFCON with Nigeria due to it ‘not being an important tournament’, and warned the player that attending the event would mean he wouldn’t play for Huesca again.

Nwakali further claimed that when he asked for his unpaid wages to be paid to help fund his mother’s hospital bill, Garcia responded that they would pay him if he signed a new contract (with his deal expiring this summer).

Garcia also allegedly threatened not to pay Nwakali on another occasion, if the player didn’t accept a January 31st transfer to another La Liga 2 club.

Kelechi Nwakali (Photo via Instagram / Nwakali25)
Kelechi Nwakali during his time at Arsenal (Photo via Instagram / Nwakali25)

Garcia and Huesca’s lawyers were in an ongoing dispute with the Spanish Footballers Union, and before his contract termination, Nwakali was made to train on his own.

Nwakali added that Huesca still hadn’t paid his wages, and claims he refused to sign mutual termination papers.

You can read Nwakali’s statement in full here.