“Keep our options open” - Wrexham transfer claim made as Arsenal make player decision | OneFootball

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Wrexham target Arthur Okonkwo will be leaving Arsenal on a free transfer when his deal expires this summer.

Phil Parkinson’s side made it back-to-back promotions as they secured a top three finish on their return to the Football League.

Okonkwo was first choice for the campaign after joining the Red Dragons on loan, making 36 appearances as he became a reliable figure in between the sticks.

Therefore, bringing him to the Racecourse Ground on a permanent basis was always going to be under consideration, with Parkinson revealing last month that they would explore the possibility of a deal.

However, as of now, nothing has been agreed, but the Gunners have confirmed that the 22-year-old will be leaving their club when his deal runs out in a matter of weeks.

Of course, Okonkwo’s performances, and his potential to get even better, means that other clubs will be weighing up an offer to the stopper, amid reports that Wrexham face Championship competition for his signature.

Wrexham told to not rush into Arthur Okonkwo deal

Despite the positives to any potential deal, it should be said that Okonkwo is unproven at League One level, whilst promotion means Wrexham can look at a bigger pool of targets as they look to establish themselves in the third tier.

And, speaking to FLW, Wrexham fan Liam insists that the club shouldn’t rush into offering Okonkwo a contract, even if he would be pleased if the keeper did return to the club.

He said: “We’re linked with Okonkwo after the really successful season he’s had with us.

“When he came in on loan, we knew his contract was expiring at the end of the season, so it was always an option if he performed well.

“Now he’s been released by Arsenal, I don’t think it would be a bad decision to go for a keeper of his standing. He could easily play Championship football, but we shouldn't go over the odds with wages just because he’s had one good season with us, as there are other options in the market.

“We were linked with Viktor Johansson, there’s Chris Maxwell, who is a really solid option, so we need to keep our options open.”

Wrexham’s summer transfer plans

It’s an exciting time to be a Wrexham fan, as they’ve been on a remarkable run under their new owners, and they will be dreaming about what the future could bring.

You would expect them to be bold and ambitious in the market once more this summer, but it’s a big step up in quality, so they will need to be smart in who they recruit.

One of the priorities is a new number one, and you can understand why there is a desire to sign Okonkwo, as he has done well for Parkinson, he knows the club, and he is a talented keeper with a lot of room to develop.

Yet, as outlined above, he isn’t the only good keeper out there on the market, and the recruitment team need to get things right this summer as they assess who will be able to help the team in League One.