Barnet FC have announced that Idris Kanu, who has made two appearances for Sierra Leone, has signed a new contract which will keep him at the Hive next season, as per the club’s official website.
An Unexpected Resurgence
Kanu’s time at Barnet has been far from straightforward, especially in recent years.
The London-born man signed for the Bees at the start of the 2022/23 season and he was initially successful upon his return to non-league. The former Peterborough United player scored eight goals in 37 league appearances as the Bees defied preseason predictions to get into the playoffs.
The 2023/24 season was largely successful for Kanu on a personal level. He played 33 league games, scoring seven times and registering six assists, but there were question marks about the versatile wide-man’s end product.
He remained in North London for a third season this campaign, struggling to maintain a regular place in the starting XI at the beginning of the season. Some thought this may have been the beginning of the end for Kanu, especially given Dean Brennan’s cut-throat attitude in the transfer market.
Fortunately, Barnet’s number 11 was able to force his way back into Brennan’s plans, playing more league games this season than ever before. Whilst he only scored two goals and created three assists, his work rate was consistently excellent and there was a marked improvement in his decision-making which undeniably helped the Bees to the National League title.
Writer’s View
This is a sensible move for both the player and the team.
Kanu struggled on his previous foray into the Football League as he was not given regular minutes by his managers, nor did he have a consistent home. He should be much better placed to thrive in the EFL next season at a club where he is adored by the fans and with a manager who knows how to get the best out of him.
It also means that Barnet have retained one of their first-choice players from this season. This continuity will be pivotal if the Bees are serious about trying to achieve back-to-back promotions into the third tier and it also means the 25-year-old does not end up at a rival club.
It will be interesting to see if Brennan decides to sign another player to compete with Kanu for the right wing-back spot. Adam Senior, who is largely a centre-back but could be used as a wing-back, was signed by the Bees earlier in the summer whilst Ryan Glover, who was largely used as a left wing-back this campaign, is also more than capable of playing on the right-hand side.
