Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Midfielder will join Arsenal for pre-season after signing five-year deal
NIGERIAN youngster Kelechi Nwakali will join Arsenal for pre-season training.
Kelechi Nwakali will link up with Arsenal for pre-season training
Arsenal are thought to have paid around £3million for the 17-year-old after he captained Nigeria to glory at last summer's Under-17 World Cup.
The Gunners are yet to announce Nwakali's arrival, but his former club Diamond/ASJ Academy claim he will link up with the north London club this summer.
“Kelechi Nwakali is not coming back to Nigeria, he has gone to London to stay,” a representative told allnigeriasoccer.com. “He will do pre-season training with Arsenal.
"It is no longer in our hands if he’ll train with the first team or the academy, they know the best for him. His application for a work permit can only be processed after he clocks 18.”
Arsenal v Watford - Premier League match preview
The Gunners beat the likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Chelsea and West Ham to sign Nwakali, who has penned a deal at the Emirates Stadium until 2021.
"I have signed a five-year contract with Arsenal," he said earlier this month. So many teams were interested in me but it has been my dream at a tender age to play for Arsenal."
Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?