Supporters of Wrexham AFC were ecstatic over the weekend as they carried on celebrating their team’s promotion to League One.
After the Red Dragons defeated Crewe Alexandra 3-0 at Gresty Road, fans celebrated in costumed the away end. However, it was easy to forget that Phil Parkinson’s team’s season could have ended very differently.
When former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster revealed he would be retiring from football for a second time at the start of the season, the club was shocked.
Wrexham had a rough start to life in League Two, giving up 13 goals in their first four matches.
It could have been terrible if Foster had left abruptly in August, only two months after agreeing to a new deal.
That was before Arthur Okonkwo, who was brought in as a replacement on a loan from Arsenal, swiftly established himself as a pivotal role in their fight for promotion, appearing in 35 league games and recording 14 clean sheets (according to FootyStats).
After being nominated in the League Two Team of the Year, there has been a lot of pressure on Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney to splash the cash to sign him permanently, as his contract with the Gunners is set to expire this summer.
However, after a video was posted on social media, some followers appear certain that he might be heading somewhere else.
Okonkwo’s body language could give clue to his future
In the video that the RobRyanRed podcast shared on X/Twitter, Okonkwo appeared a little uncomfortable when fans yelled for him to “sign the contract” following the final whistle.
“That’s the face of someone not signing the contract,” one fan retorted. “Looks to me like a player who knows he’s going elsewhere,” another fan said.
Naturally, it’s possible that the 22-year-old is simply bashful after being pushed into the spotlight at Hollywood-owned Wrexham, but reports from the media have fueled rumors that he won’t be returning to the Racecourse for the upcoming season.
According to a Daily Mail article, Premier League and Championship teams are reportedly showing interest in signing the goalie, thus Wrexham will have fierce competition for his signature.
It’s also known that Okonkwo has suitors in other parts of Europe following his impressive loan stint with Sturm Graz in Austria in 2023.
Arsenal would not be entitled to any compensation because, according to the report, they have not extended an offer to the keeper. Additionally, this will make him a desirable possibility for other organizations.
Keeper is worth breaking the bank for Reynolds and McElhenney
It is anticipated that Okonkwo would need to become one of Wrexham’s top earners if he were to stay with the team.
If other important players like Paul Mullin and Elliot Lee were to demand parity with the goalie, this might then trigger a more comprehensive examination of the team’s compensation structure.
But if Reynolds and McElhenney want to contend for promotion in League One once more, they’ll probably need to increase their spending.
Any signing at the top rank is crucial and has the power to make or ruin a team’s future.
Wrexham knows they have a player in Okonkwo who can compete in the division and possibly even at the highest level.
Their tight defensive unit may get uneasy if they are unable to get his signature and he decides to sign elsewhere.
It provides even more justification for the owners to use every effort to keep him.
