Wrexham plotting late transfer swoop for Arsenal player | OneFootball

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Wrexham are looking to sign Arsenal keeper Arthur Okonkwo ahead of the transfer deadline at 11pm.

Who is Arthur Okonkwo?

The giant stopper is not someone that many Wrexham fans will know, but he would arrive at the Racecourse Ground with good pedigree if the move does go ahead.

The 21-year-old has come through the ranks with the Gunners, but he has understandably found it tough to get near the first-team on a consistent basis, so he has been out on loan in the past few years.

After a spell in the Football League with Crewe, Okonkwo went to Austrian top-flight side Sturm Graz last season before returning to the Londoners this summer.

Wrexham looking to sign Arthur Okonkwo

And, it appears another temporary switch could be on the cards for the England youth international, with The Sun reporter Alan Nixon revealing that Phil Parkinson is looking to sign the keeper for Wrexham.

“Arsenal keeper Arthur Okonkwo is wanted on loan by ambitious Wrexham. Okonkwo was on loan at Sturm Graz in Austria last season but could now be heading to Wales for the season.”

Of course, this move would need to be wrapped up ahead of the 11pm deadline later this evening.

Do Wrexham need to sign Arthur Okonkwo?

This would be an exciting signing for Wrexham, as Okonkwo is a highly-rated keeper, and it’s an area that the Welsh side need to strengthen.

That’s because Ben Foster made the surprise decision to retire from football a few weeks ago, after starting the season as the number one.

It was a shock for all connected to the club that Foster made the call to stop playing, as he had starred during the run-in in the National League as the side won promotion.

Even though Mark Howard, who has stepped in since Foster’s exit, is a reliable keeper, the reality is that Parkinson chose to bring in Foster last season, and only planned for Howard to be backup this season.

Therefore, in an ideal world he would get a new keeper to be the number one moving forward, and this would allow that to happen. So, this would be a very good bit of business for the club, and it would be a fantastic opportunity for Okonkwo to show what he can do as he seeks regular game time to help his development.

Has this been a good window for Wrexham?

The high-profile owners of Wrexham have spent big over the years to build a competitive squad, but they didn’t make major changes this summer, as most of the group have Football League experience.

Instead, it was about adding quality over quantity, and they have generally targeted experienced players who are proven at a higher level.

Early results have been mixed, so it’s no surprise the club are active up until the deadline, and Foster’s retirement understandably caused a rethink.

Conceding 14 goals in five games shows where Wrexham’s problems are right now, so Okonkwo would be a big help in that sense.