Soccer
Arthur Okonkwo of Wrexham. Picture credit: ImagoxCody FroggattxSportimage
English Championship club Wrexham have shared an important update regarding Super Eagles goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, Soccernet.ng reports.
​This summer, the future of the 24-year-old shot-stopper has been one of the primary talking points at Wrexham.
​He joined the club as a free agent two years ago and played a key role in their promotion from the League One to the Championship, keeping 19 clean sheets in 33 games.
​Last season, he was not originally intended to be the first-choice goalkeeper. However, following an injury to Danny Ward, who they signed last summer, coach Phil Parkinson gave him the opportunity to man the sticks for the Red Dragons.
​Okonkwo kept 10 clean sheets in 39 appearances and conceded 53 goals. Toward the end of the season, however, coach Parkinson opted to bench the Super Eagles shot-stopper in favor of Ward.
​Unfortunately, that decision did not change the club’s fortunes, as they narrowly missed out on the Championship promotion playoffs.
​With only one year remaining on his contract, Okonkwo entered into discussions with the club regarding his future. Reports suggested a stalemate in talks, which implied that the Nigerian was free to explore other options this summer.
​Leicester City were previously linked with him, but they have yet to make a concrete offer for his services.
Soccer Fresh Okonkwo Update Emerges at Wrexham
​A fresh update issued by Wrexham has confirmed that Okonkwo will be part of the traveling squad for their trip to Poland, where they will take on Wisla Krakow in a pre-season match.
​Okonkwo is part of a 31-man squad comprised of both academy and senior team players. The Wisla Krakow match will be the Red Dragons’ first pre-season fixture this summer.
​After that game, the Championship club will have four other pre-season fixtures, including a high-profile matchup against Manchester United a week later.
​It remains unclear whether Okonkwo will be a Wrexham player when the new season begins. However, his inclusion in the pre-season travel squad suggests that his time with the club may not yet be over.
It is clear that after tasting first-team football and being the number 1 goalkeeper, he will want to keep it that way. In a few weeks, his situation should become clearer.
Kelvin Omachonu
Kelvin Omachonu is a professional football columnist and sports writer with over half a decade of experience covering major events and delivering captivating, analytically-driven stories.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, he is fueled by a profound dedication to sports journalism and the beautiful game. His insights have previously been featured in respected outlets, including IndyPress UI, UCJ UI Newshive NG, Sportpremi, and a few others.
Away from work, Kelvin is an avid fan of basketball, enjoys a great movie, and is always discovering new music.
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