Wrexham told to avoid Sunderland transfer as Leicester City eye Arthur Okonkwo | OneFootball

FLW's Wrexham fan pundit has given his verdict on the latest goalkeeper situation at the club

Wrexham are preparing for another promotion push next season after just missing out on a play-off place.

Phil Parkinson’s side earned their place in the Championship with three consecutive top two finishes, going from the National League to the second tier in a short time.

But they were still able to compete at this level quite well after investing heavily in the first team squad, coming seventh in the table.

The Red Dragons will be hoping to maintain that level of competitiveness, particularly with the play-offs expanding to include seventh and eighth from 2027.

It is likely to be another busy summer at the Racecourse Ground, with further additions to the squad expected.

But one player being linked with a move away from the club is Arthur Okonkwo, with Leicester City showing interest, which has led to reports of Wrexham’s interest in Anthony Patterson.

Wrexham urged to stick with Arthur Okonkwo

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When asked about a potential move for Patterson if Okonkwo leaves, FLW’s Wrexham fan pundit Liam Grice has claimed that he is not a fan of the Sunderland shot-stopper.

He believes that while the former Arsenal player has some flaws, he would rather stick with him than bring in someone like Patterson to replace him.

“I’m personally not a fan,” Grice told Football League World.

“I know Okwonko has his faults, but at the end of the day, he’s a very solid Championship keeper, in my opinion.

“Yeah, okay, maybe his distribution could be better, he has a mistake in him every now and again, but I don’t think Patterson is a clear upgrade.

“I don’t think a loan move would be terrible, but a goalkeeper is one of the spots you want to own the player in.

“You can build your defence around the goalkeeper, and I think there are better options we could get for cheaper than Patterson, and I don’t think necessarily he’s a massive upgrade on Okwonko.”

Grice has claimed that Sunderland’s decision to offload him after earning promotion is a sign that he is not a strong long-term option for Wrexham, again stating his preference to keep Okonkwo instead.

“I know he’s played at the level before, and he’d performed well at the level before, but there’s a reason Sunderland haven’t taken a chance on him in the Premier League, and it’s probably because he’s not ready to make that step up,” he continued.

“And if we’re serious about trying to make that step up then I don’t see why we’d go for a player who one of the promoted clubs deemed wasn’t good enough in the first place.

“I’m not saying Okowonko is definitely good enough to make the step up, but I think he knows the culture of the club, and knows the players, and is a big influence in the dressing room, so he’s got that going for him.

“Patterson would have to come in and establish himself, so I’m just not sure it’s the right move at the right time for Okonkwo and Patterson, to be honest.”

Okonkwo made the move to Wrexham in 2023, initially joining the club on loan from Arsenal before signing on a permanent basis in 2024.

He featured 36 times in League Two and on 33 occasions in League One, with the team earning promotion in both campaigns.

The goalkeeper maintained his position as first-choice last season as well, making 39 appearances in the Championship.

The 24-year-old kept 10 clean sheets and conceded 53 goals, with the club narrowly missing out on a play-off place.

The Red Dragons were two points adrift of sixth place Hull City, who went on to win promotion to the Premier League with wins over Millwall and Middlesbrough.

Meanwhile, Patterson signed for Millwall on loan in January, and played in that play-off semi-final loss to the Tigers.

The goalkeeper also made 14 regular league appearances in Alex Neil’s side, helping the Lions finish third in the Championship, just one point outside of the automatic promotion places.

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Anthony Patterson for Arthur Okonkwo would have to depend on the finances

Okonkwo has been solid for Wrexham, but he is someone that could be upgraded this summer for the right player.

However, Patterson’s failure to maintain his place in the Sunderland squad does raise questions over his long-term viability for Wrexham if their ambitions are to compete in the Premier League.

It would have to depend on the cost of this business, as it’s unlikely Leicester will be able to spend big on the signing of Okonkwo.

Giving him another year in the team, and focusing their efforts on improving elsewhere, might be their safest bet if Patterson is the only viable alternative at this stage.