NIGERIAN midfielder Kelechi Nwakali said he has now settled in Barnsley and is ready to play in the first team.

The 26-year-old joined from Chaves, for whom he made 33 appearances for in the Portuguese top flight last season as they were relegated.

He started at Arsenal but never played for them then had spells in the Netherlands and briefly the Spanish top flight with Huesca.

He captained Nigeria to the under 17s World Cup win in 2015, being named player of the tournament, then played four times for the senior team.

Nwakali was on the bench for the Reds in their 3-0 away win at Crawley last month and played 60 minutes for the u21s in a 4-0 loss against Bristol City.

Asked about how he is settling into life in England, he said: “It’s been good.

“Since I came here, the players and the staff have been trying to help me in settling down. Outside of football, trying to get my house, everything.

“So it has been good.

“I’m training with the team regularly. I’ve been in the u21s’ games so now my fitness is coming along better.

“It’s a gradual process to fit into the first team.”

The Reds are currently third in League One - and he’s excited to come into a winning team in the near future.

“As a team I think we are doing great,” he added.

“We have to keep the momentum in the upcoming games.

“It comes game by game.

“We won the last game but it’s the next game looking forward. The team have real quality players but I’ve got to show what I can do for the team.”