Arsenal are ready to offload 21-year-old 6ft 6in goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo as he enters the last year of his contract.
Fabrizio Romano via Give Me Sport reckons Arsenal are willing to offload towering goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo. The 21-year-old has found his path to the first team restricted by Mikel Arteta’s top choices between the sticks, and the club may feel selling him would benefit all parties.
Arthur Okonkwo came through the ranks at Arsenal and was generally considered a promising talent. Yet, with the tall pecking order for goalkeepers ahead of him, the 21-year-old 6ft 6in star has not made a single appearance for the first team.
He has often been present in pre-season tours for Arsenal, but not this time. The Gunners decided against taking him for their US tour, instead choosing Karl Hein and Alex Runarsson to deputise Aaron Ramsdale.
Runarsson will also leave the club as Arsenal are searching for buyers for the Icelandic international. Hein could also depart on loan, as in the ideal pecking order, he would remain behind Okonkwo. With Ramsdale signing a new contract and Matt Turner set to deputise the England international again, Okonkwo will not have a chance to break into the first team.
Excl: it has been agreed that talented goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo (21) can leave Arsenal on a permanent deal this summer. 🚨🔴⚪️ #AFC
His contract expires next summer – after Sturm Graz loan last season Okonkwo is now subject of interest from clubs in England and across Europe. pic.twitter.com/541Hb0MjKQ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 17, 2023
The club are open to selling him, and as per Fabrizio Romano, they are considering bids for the 21-year-old 6ft 6in. Romano said, “They extended the contract of Ramsdale. The best thing is probably for the player to secure a permanent transfer elsewhere. This is the situation.”
“So, let’s see where, but I think he is going to leave the club on a permanent deal in the next few days or weeks because this is the idea of the player, and Arsenal have accepted that.”
Okonkwo has a year left on his Arsenal contract, and the club will feel they can get a decent value in this market. They will look at the going rates at Manchester City for players who have not played first-team football at the club and possibly hope for a similar outcome.
Meanwhile, Okonkwo had an impressive season with two separate loan spells. The first was highly successful at League Two side Crewe Alexandra, while he also shone at Austrian side Sturm Graz. Going by his performances from the previous campaign, many clubs could come in with interest in the keeper.
