"A lot of other suitors" - Wrexham's Mark Howard makes Arthur Okonkwo transfer prediction | OneFootball

Wrexham goalkeeper Mark Howard has predicted Arsenal goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo will have plenty of options this summer revealed he hopes he rejoins him at the Welsh club.

It has been reported that the Welsh outfit are keen to keep the former Gunners academy player at the club following a successful loan spell last season.

The 22-year-old featured 36 times in League Two last year as the team earned a second consecutive promotion.

A second-place finish in the fourth tier earned Phil Parkinson’s side a place in League One, which has opened the door for a potential permanent move for Okonkwo.

The shot-stopper is out of contract with Arsenal this summer and will be available as a free agent.

Mark Howard gives Okonkwo Wrexham transfer verdict

Howard has praised Okonkwo’s talent, and believes that the young goalkeeper will only continue to improve.

While he acknowledges that his arrival at Wrexham would bring competition for game time, he has claimed that he would be more than happy to welcome Okonkwo back to the club.

“Okonkwo is an unbelievable talent and has all the attributes to develop more and he will only get better,” said Howard, via Best Online Poker Sites.

“Personally and for the club it would be great if he returns but ultimately the future is in his own hands.

“He will have a lot of other suitors but for him, whatever decision he makes, I hope he just builds on what he has done at Wrexham.

“He earned his place in Team of the Year for League Two which is incredible as he missed a fair few games.

“I’ve agreed a deal to stay on and it was a dead easy decision.

“The role I played, I had to adapt my own motivation of playing week in, week out, to help Arthur Okonkwo.

“Arthur developed as the season went on and to be fair there weren't many opportunities for me to get my place back in the team.

“So I adapted my role to get the best out of him and help Aidan Davison, the goalkeeping coach, as much as I could.

“I still played 10 games in the season.

“Of course, I’d love to have played more but that isn’t always the case in football.

“But I always wanted to sign and stay on at Wrexham and to be part of the culture they are creating and building for the future.”

Mark Howard's importance to Wrexham

Howard signed for Wrexham in the summer of 2022, moving to the side when they were still a non-league club.

He departed Carlisle United at the end of his contract, which led to the switch to the Red Dragons.

The 37-year-old was a key part of their 2023 promotion to League Two, but featured just seven times in the fourth tier (all stats from Fbref).

Parkinson’s team earned back-to-back promotions, with the club finishing second in the table, just four points off the champions Stockport County.

Okonkwo would be a great permanent signing for Wrexham

The loan deal with Arsenal to sign Okonkwo proved a very smart signing, as he ended up becoming a key part of the team as they gained promotion.

Keeping him in the squad for next season would be very sensible, and would mean they can focus on making additions elsewhere.

It remains to be seen just how big their budget will be this summer, but getting Okonkwo as a free agent would be a very reasonably priced deal.

It would also allow the club to prioritise their big spending plans for more important areas of the squad that need to be strengthened for life in League One.