The future looks bright for Arthur Okonkwo.
The rangy, languid young goalkeeper enjoyed a superb 2023-24 season on loan at League Two Wrexham, helping the ambitious Welsh club to another promotion. And he played a key role having arrived a few weeks into a campaign that began inauspiciously.
Okonkwo made the switch from Arsenal to a Wrexham side that had shipped 14 goals in their first five league games, a run of results that prompted Ben Foster to retire for a second time.
🔢 Using their unique rating system, @WhoScored run through their League Two Team of the Season! 🌟#EFL | #SkyBetLeagueTwo pic.twitter.com/ysRwPz6OZuApril 30, 2024
In his 36 League Two appearances, Okonkwo conceded just 30 goals, keeping an impressive 13 clean sheets and proving an immediately reassuring presence for the defenders in front of him. No goalkeeper in the division had a better save percentage (79.1%) than the 22-year-old — per FBref.
There is no doubt, then, that Okonkwo is ready to step up the divisions. He has previously caught the eye on loan at Crewe Alexandra and Austrian side Sturm Graz, and his intention will be to succeed at the highest level.
Whether or not that will be with Arsenal remains to be seen. He is out of contract at the end of May and there has been talk of a permanent move to Wrexham. That might appeal, given his familiarity with the club and their objective to eventually reach the Premier League.
There is also likely to be plenty of interest from Championship clubs. Okonkwo’s form at Wrexham will not have gone unnoticed, not least because of the publicity and spotlight that inevitably comes with owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Arsenal ambitions
For Arsenal, standards are exceptionally high and Okonkwo may still be considered too raw to break into the first team. The youngster is capable with the ball at his feet and his distribution for Wrexham was more than acceptable. But Mikel Arteta, like Pep Guardiola, expects a high level of technical proficiency from his goalkeepers.
The occasional error during his loan with Wrexham will have been noted, too, but that is expected of any young goalkeeper. Importantly, Okonkwo did not let his mistakes shake his confidence. And he is certainly a player with plenty of self-belief: his quiet, unflustered, placid demeanour is endearing, even if he can sometimes be guilty of looking too relaxed.
Regardless of any potential shortcomings, Okonkwo is excellent at his primary job: keeping the ball out of the net. As a shot-stopper he has proved himself repeatedly during his several loan spells. At 6 foot 6, there is rarely a shot or a cross that he can’t reach.
With Aaron Ramsdale likely to be searching for first-team football in the near future, Arsenal may find themselves on the lookout for a new backup to David Raya. In Okonkwo, they have a player who is young and ever-improving, a player with an extremely high ceiling and the capacity to learn and adapt to Arteta’s demands.
As things stand, Okonkwo will be preparing for a future elsewhere. If he does join Wrexham or one of his other many suitors, expect to see him rise up the divisions in the coming years. And if he stays at Arsenal, Okonkwo could prove himself a more-than-able deputy to Raya.
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