Wrexham have agreed a deadline-day move for Arthur Okonkwo as the goalkeeper signs on loan.
Earlier in the summer, reports broke that Arthur Okonkwo would be allowed to leave Arsenal on a permanent deal. But no such move materialised over the following month or so, and the goalkeeper remained in limbo right up to transfer deadline day.
Now, the 21-year-old has signed for Wrexham on a season-long loan with his Arsenal contract expiring at the same time as his loan will finish in the summer of 2024.
Speaking to the Wrexham site, Okonkwo said, “I know that the Club had a great season last year, and it’s good to see how the Club has a plan to progress up the leagues.
“The passion the fans, the owners and the Club have to keep moving forward is really good.”
Earlier in the window, Goal reported that interest in Okonkwo was mounting ahead of the summer, with several clubs in England and abroad chasing a transfer.
There was significant interest emerging from Germany, and an Arsenal departure this summer was described as a “strong possibility”.
There were some suggestions Okonkwo could still end up operating as Arsenal’s third-choice goalkeeper, but it appeared that outside interest has prompted him to pursue a transfer.
Okonkwo had an impressive season in 2022/23. He started out with League Two side Crewe Alexandra, keeping 10 clean sheets, before Arsenal made the decision to recall him and loan him back out to Austria.
The move seemed like a good idea, with Okonkwo jumping from fourth-tier English football to first-tier Austrian football, but it probably went even better than anyone hoped.
The highlight of Okonkwo’s Sturm Graz spell was certainly keeping a clean sheet in the final of the OFB Cup, as his side lifted the trophy over Rapid Vienna.
Okonkwo had also made a save in the quarter-final penalty shootout win over RB Salzburg, and kept a clean sheet in the semi-final against LASK. So he was a key part of their trophy win.
On top of that, Okonkwo helped Sturm Graz push Salzburg to the end of the Austrian Bundesliga title race.
The Arsenal loanee made 44 appearances and kept 16 clean sheets between his two loan spells.