Charlton Athletic have signed goalkeeper, Arthur Okonkwo on a season-long loan from Wrexham.
Okonkwo’s move comes with nearly 10 months left on his contract at Wrexham, which led the club to sign Anthony Patterson as their new first-choice goalkeeper after negotiations with Okonkwo over a new contract stalled this summer after he managed 46 clean sheets in 121 appearances over three seasons.
The 24-year-old consequently was allowed to join Charlton on a season-long loan to get regular first-team football, with Okonkwo pleased to return to his home city, having been born in Camden and came through Arsenal’s Academy.
“I’m happy to be here and I’m ready to go. Coming here, it’s another season where I really want to do well and improve again. Speaking to the manager, that’s what he wants me to do here – not only to do well, but to improve as a goalkeeper.
“It’s a great group. They’ve welcomed me really well and I can’t wait to get to know them even more.”
Manager, Nathan Jones added: “I’m delighted to bring Arthur to the club. We know how good a goalkeeper he is – he made two world class saves against us last season, one in each game we played against Wrexham.
“He also showed a real desire to come to us after our initial meeting, which was important for us.
“He’s an excellent shot stopper, of good pedigree, with good experience and the teams he’s played in have done well, so I’m looking forward to working with him.”
Okonkwo began his career at Hampstead Academy and Lindus Park before he joined Arsenal where he graduated through their academy, but failed to make a single first-team appearance amidst loans at Crewe Alexandra, Sturm Graz and then Wrexham.
In his loan spell at Wrexham in the 2023-24 season, he helped them gain promotion from League Two to League One with 15 clean sheets in 40 appearances which led him to join permanently in summer 2024, and he proceeded to keep 22 clean sheets in the 2024-25 season as the Red Dragons won promotion to the Championship.
Last season saw him keep nine clean sheets in 39 appearances as Wrexham finished seventh in the Championship, and featured in all three of their FA Cup matches which included a penalty shootout victory over Nottingham Forest in the third round.