Arthur Okonkwo has signed a new long-term deal with Arsenal and will join the first-team squad this season.
Okonkwo has been part of Arsenal’s Youth Academy as a goalkeeper since Under-9 level, rising up through the ranks and often spent last season training and travelling with the first-team squad on matchdays throughout the campaign whilst also playing as part of the Under-21s squad.
Speaking on the “surreal” feeling of committing his future to Arsenal, Okonkwo spoke of his pride at graduating through the youth ranks and is now looking forward to “hopefully, one day, make my first-team debut…”
Okonkwo also praised manager, Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff for having enough “trust” to promote him to the first team, having recently thought about the prospect as imagination but believes that this move ” is a big push for me, a new challenge for me.”
The 19 year-old has also iterated that his short-term aim is to adapt to the squad, saying: “I think short term [my goal] would be getting used to being in the first-team environment, getting used to the players I’m with.”
As to his long-term future prospects, Okonkwo is keen to try and do as well as he possibly can with the ultimate aim of becoming Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper, although he is aware that “the only way I’ll be able to do that is by coming in and working hard every day and that is my biggest ambition for the season.”
Okonkwo also revealed that Arteta has already offered advice ahead of the new season, adding: “Get comfortable with the environment, and after that to push on, start to compete, and with the great goalkeepers we have here, I will be able to become a better goalkeeper.”
Arteta returned Okonkwo’s compliments by praising academy staff for their work in helping him develop into a “strong young goalkeeper with great potential”, despite the 19 year-old often training and travelling with the first-team squad last season.
On his plans for the youngster, Arteta commented: “Arthur will now join us every single day in training, where we look forward to watching him continue to develop and improve his goalkeeping.”
Technical Director, Edu meanwhile hailed Okonkwo’s new deal as evidence of how important the academy is to the club in developing “top players” who can graduate into the first team like Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka have done in recent seasons.
Okonkwo will wear the no.35 shirt as third-choice goalkeeper behind Runar Alex Runnarsson who will serve as back-up to Bernd Leno this season, following Matt Ryan’s return to Brighton after spending the second half of last season on loan to the Gunners.
This season will also see Arsenal play their first season in 25 years without European football after finishing eighth in Premier League last season, on top of exiting FA Cup and League Cup at Fourth Round and Quarter-Final stages respectively plus semi-final exit in Europa League.