Wrexham goalkeeper, Arthur Okonkwo has been confirmed to be returning to Arsenal as he undergoes surgery for the injury he sustained vs Harrogate Town.
After signing for Wrexham over the summer, Arthur Okonkwo has gone on to be one of the most important players at the club.
It took some time, but once Phil Parkinson had put his full faith in the Englishman and made him his number one.
It could have been a sticky moment early on in the season following the shock retirement of Ben Foster after a slow start.
Okonkwo signed on loan from Arsenal and after some time to find his feet, he became undisputed number one at The Racecourse. This has taken a blow however following his substitution against Harrogate Town.
What has been said about Arthur Okonkwo?
Okonkwo suffered a jaw injury in the draw against Town and hasn’t made an appearance since that unfortunate moment.
Now it has been revealed by the official Wrexham website that the goalkeeper has been booked in to have surgery. On that, it was said: “The 22-year-old will return to Wrexham once the surgery has been successfully completed and he has been assessed by the Arsenal medical team in close collaboration with Wrexham AFC and may play in a protective mask as he recovers from the jaw injury.”
There was no indication given as to how long this could take to recover. With Mark Howard and Luke McNicholas, there are more than able deputies.
It appears to be good news when it comes to Okonkwo however. The BBC reported: “Okonkwo is expected to be out for weeks rather than months and will likely play in a protective mask on his return.”
It is good to hear that the number one will be back sooner rather than later which can only be a positive. His ability has been on show for all to see so far this season and it is safe to say that he will be missed in between the sticks.
For now, there is plenty of quality in the ranks to come in, in place of the Englishman who will do a job. It is of frustration given Okonkwo’s form that he has to be out for such a lengthy period.
Hopefully, he can be just as good upon his return and help fire Wrexham to promotion this campaign. Given his form this season, this isn’t a wild expectation.