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 remains in limbo on transfer deadline day.
According to AllNigeriaSoccer, Wrexham are mulling over a deadline-day move for the goalkeeper, and the transfer is a concrete possibility for Okonkwo.
As it stands, that move is reportedly the only serious offer on the table, though there’s still time for that to change.
Okonkwo’s current deal with Arsenal expires in 2024.
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’s 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.
But with no progress on a move between then and now, Wrexham now appear to be the most realistic option.
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.