On loan Arsenal goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo reveals why he wasn’t ‘too sure’ about joining the club following their promotion from the National League.
Wrexham’s pursuit of Arthur Okonkwo on a permanent deal from Arsenal is well documented.
Humphrey Ker has said the club are ‘desperate’ to make the 22-year-old their first signing this summer while Phil Parkinson claims they’re working on a deal, though it could take time.
Okonkwo is attracting interest from several Championship and European clubs after enjoying a fantastic season in Wales.
The Englishman lived up to his “real potential”, as described by Parkinson, having produced displays that helped inspire Wrexham to promotion while receiving wide recognition.
Okonkwo was named in the League Two Team of the Season after keeping 14 clean sheets in 36 appearances. He’s proven to be an incredible replacement for veteran Ben Foster, but the goalkeeper wasn’t certain about joining at first.
Arthur Okonkwo wasn’t ‘too sure’ about joining Wrexham
After winning promotion to League Two, Wrexham were looking to bolster their squad and on transfer deadline day, they secured a deal to take Okonkwo on loan from Arsenal.
The 6ft6 shot-stopper was sceptical about the move at first, though, explaining why in the third episode of season three of Welcome to Wrexham.
- READ MORE: Welcome to Wrexham Season 3: Release Date, How to Watch, Trailer, Episode Schedule and More
When asked about his move to Wales after spending time on loan at Sturm Graz and Crewe Alexandra, Okonkwo replied: “Wrexham called and when they first arrived I was like… ‘I’m not too sure’.
“I know they came from the National League and they had huge exposure. I said ‘look, let me speak to the manager, let me speak to the goalie coach’. I’ll always make my moves with how I feel and when Phil spoke to me I knew, yeah, this is the right move for me.”
Wrexham must take inspiration from Arthur Okonkwo move
Wrexham are desperate to land Okonkwo permanently from the Gunners and if they do, it could set the tone for the rest of their transfer business.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds must use his successful move as inspiration to look at further talent from the Premier League.
Okonkwo’s brilliance in Wales shows there are plenty of positives to be had when loaning players from the top flight.
Not only does it save the Hollywood duo money on transfer fees, but they’re getting a player temporarily where they just need to pay a portion of their wages, and in some cases, none at all.
Although acquiring experienced players is Wrexham’s usual mantra, exploring the Premier League market for talented youngsters on loan is certainly an avenue they should explore.