Charlton & Bolton eye late Wrexham transfer swoop after £8m development | OneFootball

Charlton and Bolton are both keen on signing Arthur Okonkwo from Wrexham after Anthony Patterson's move from Sunderland

Charlton Athletic and Bolton Wanderers are among the clubs considering a move for Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo.

According to Sports Illustrated, the shot stopper is attracting interest in the final two weeks of the transfer window.

The former Arsenal player’s future is currently up in the air following the Red Dragons’ move to sign Anthony Patterson from Sunderland.

The Championship side have completed a deal for the 26-year-old in a move reportedly worth £8 million. Okonkwo has been with the Welsh outfit since 2023/24 when he initially joined on loan from the Gunners.

He’s made 108 league appearances for the club across the last three campaigns, and helped Wrexham earn promotion from League Two and League One.

Arthur Okonkwo earns Bolton and Charlton interest

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It’s expected that Okonkwo will leave Wrexham at some stage over the next two weeks, as we approach the end of the transfer market.

It’s believed that Bolton and Charlton are both keen on a deal for the goalkeeper, whose future is uncertain due to Patterson’s arrival.

The former Sunderland player is set to become the new first-choice in Phil Parkinson’s side, which opens the door for Okonkwo’s exit.

It remains to be seen what the player’s preference is at this stage, but a permanent exit is very much on the table between now and the 1 September deadline.

Danny Ward is also now understood to be ahead of Okonkwo in the pecking order of Parkinson’s team going forward, making the 24-year-old third choice if he stays.

He made 39 appearances in the Championship last season, but was dropped for Ward in the closing stages of the campaign.

Okonkwo’s contract expires next summer, meaning this is Wrexham’s last opportunity to cash in on the player before he potentially leaves as a free agent in 2027.

How Bolton and Charlton fans feel about Arthur Okonkwo pursuit

Bolton fans are positive about the potential signing of Okonkwo, and believe that their entire backline would look good for the year ahead.

Some supporters even believe that the 24-year-old could make a huge difference between staying up and going back down to League One.

Meanwhile, Charlton fans want to see Okonkwo come in as a replacement for Thomas Kaminski.

Supporters of the Addicks want to see the shot stopper take over as the new number one, with Kaminski receiving a lot of criticism from fans in recent months.

Both clubs have until 1 September to complete a deal for Okonkwo.

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Arthur Okonkwo would be a great signing for Bolton or Charlton

Okonkwo played a significant role in Wrexham climbing from League Two to seventh in the Championship.

If Charlton or Bolton could complete a deal for him in the next two weeks, then he would be an upgrade on their current goalkeeper options, particularly Kaminski.

Okonkwo could also be available for a reasonable price, which makes him especially appealing for these two Championship sides, who don’t have vast resources to go through.