Brian Okonkwo’s loan to Hitchin Town appears to have ended early, with the goalkeeper returning to Arsenal much sooner than planned.
Arsenal youth goalkeeper Brian Okonkwo moved on loan to Hitchin Town at the end of the January transfer window, with the Gunners reporting at the time that Okonkwo would play for the Southern Premier Central Division side for the remainder of the season.
Okonkwo broke straight into the Hitchin team, starting four consecutive matches for the side. The last of those was against St. Ives Town FC on February 22nd.
After that, the Arsenal youngster disappeared from the Hitchin squad, with no explanation provided by either club.
Initial assumptions of an injury to the goalkeeper were eventually dismissed when he returned to the Arsenal u21 squad, named on the bench for Friday’s match against Everton.
Hitchin have now played three matches without Okonkwo, and there are no signs he’s set to return to the club.
The goalkeeper kept one clean sheet in his four appearances, seemingly ending his spell with a 1-1 draw against St. Ives.
Goalkeeper loans are often very hit or miss. Either you’re playing every week, or you can end up on the bench for months at a time.
With Hitchin signing goalkeeper Seb Stacey on loan from MK Dons on February 28th, Okonkwo evidently found himself surplus to requirements, and he’ll now continue the season with the Arsenal academy.
Stacey had already spent the first half of the season with Hitchin, but he’d been recalled by MK Dons due to a first-team shortage. Once they no longer needed him as backup, they re-loaned him back to Hitchin.
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