English League One side Barnsley FC have entered negotiations with Ugandan midfielder Gadhafi Kiwanuka, who exited English lower league outfit Wombwell Town FC in July, The Nerve Africa has exclusively learned.
Kiwanuka left Wombwell after the expiry of his one-year contract, deciding against renewing it, with hopes of securing a bigger deal at a more elevated club. While he has received several offers, Barnsley has emerged as the top contender with the most concrete deal.
A source at Femo Intermedia, his representatives, confirmed to The Nerve Africa the interest from The Tykes, who have a three-year contract in place.
“We want what’s best for Gadhafi at this point in his career. We’ve had offers, but have only opened talks with Barnsley so far. They want him for three years, but we still have to agree on personal terms. We are hopeful it will come to fruition.”
Barnsley head coach Darell Clarke is a huge admirer of Kiwanuka’s versatility and physicality, as well as his ability to assert his mark on the game. The player can be deployed both in defensive and attacking midfield roles.
Last season at Wombwell, the 27-year-old made 28 appearances in the Northern Counties East League One, scoring five goals and assisting on four occasions.
Previously, he has featured for Athersley FC in England, Kampala Junior Team (KJT), Rwenshama, and KCCA FC in the Uganda Premier League. With the latter, he won two league championships.
On the Uganda National Senior team, the Cranes, Kiwanuka has played twice, both appearances coming under former head coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic. He also played for the national Under-23 team in 2015.
