Kelechi John has joined AD Sanjoanense, ending a spell without a club that began in July 2025 after the Portuguese third tier side agreed a deal running until June 2026, Footynaija.com reports.
The Nigerian defender had been unattached since the end of last season, when his contract with Portimonense expired on 30 June 2025. No renewal followed, and no move materialised during the summer window, leaving him without competitive football through the opening months of the current campaign.
As confirmed by the club, Sanjoanense completed the signing as they look to add experience to their defensive unit. The club, based in São João da Madeira, compete in Liga 3 and were able to bring the centre back in as a free agent, with no transfer fee involved. The agreement runs through the end of the 2025-2026 season.
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Kelechi’s last competitive action was during the 2024–2025 campaign with Portimonense. He made 15 league appearances and scored one goal, playing as a right-sided centre back.
His exit from Portimonense followed a season in which the club failed to secure promotion. With his contract allowed to run down, the defender entered the market in the summer of 2025 but remained without a team until the move to Sanjoanense was finalised.
Portugal has formed the core of his professional career. After leaving Nigeria, he went on to play for Casa Pia, B SAD, and UD Oliveirense, recording most of his senior appearances in the country’s second division. Those spells established him within the Portuguese league system, where he has been used across different defensive structures.
The contract with Sanjoanense is scheduled to expire in June 2026.
