Kelechi Nwakali’s move to Arsenal wasn’t exactly straightforward, with the prospect having been linked with the Gunners for several months before the deal finally came to fruition.

Nwakali had some training sessions at London Colney, including one with the Arsenal first-team, before he was on the move again as he joined Dutch second division side Maastricht on a season-long loan deal.

The midfielder had to be patient once more as he initially featured for Maastricht’s reserve team, where he was joined by another Arsenal loanee in Stefan O’Connor.

Now, though, Nwakali has stepped up to represent the Dutch side at first-team level and has featured prominently in their last two games, showcasing his excellent close control and his ability to break forwards from deep.

At the age of just 18, Nwakali has much time on his side to progress further and playing regular first-team football, regardless of the standard of the division, will surely be hugely beneficial for his development.

If he continues to impress then Nwakali may well be able to earn a work permit that will enable him to play competitively in England next season, although for now the Nigerian’s aim is simply to gain as much experience as possible.

As he showcased at the 2015 U17 World Cup, when he was crowned player of the tournament as Nigeria reigned supreme, Nwakali is an extremely exciting young talent and he is certainly one of the standout prospects on Arsenal’s books at present.

Nwakali’s spell in Holland will allow him to adjust to European football, although further adaptation will surely be required before he can be deemed ready to step up to the Arsenal first-team.

For now, though, Nwakali is progressing well and will hope to push on to even greater heights in the second half of the season.

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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird