Sport

Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo joins Charlton on loan

20 Aug 2026 2 minute read

Wrexham Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo. Photo Rhianna Chadwick/PA Wire.

Nation.Cymru staff

Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo has joined Championship rivals Charlton Athletic on a season-long loan.

The 24-year-old Nigeria international moves to The Valley after helping the Red Dragons secure back-to-back promotions during his time at the north Wales club.

Okonkwo initially joined Wrexham on loan from Arsenal and played a key role in their promotion to League One before making the move permanent in June 2024.

The 6ft 6in goalkeeper was again a regular as Wrexham secured a second successive promotion with a second-place finish in League One in 2024/25.

They narrowly missed out on the Championship play-offs last season.

He said: “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.”

Charlton manager Nathan Jones said Okonkwo had impressed him when the clubs met last season.

He said: “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.”

Born in Camden, Okonkwo came through Arsenal’s academy and signed his first senior contract with the Premier League club in 2021.

He subsequently had loan spells with Crewe Alexandra and Austrian side Sturm Graz, where he won the Austrian Cup, before moving to Wrexham.

Okonkwo has also won two senior caps for Nigeria, making his international debut during the country’s Unity Cup success at The Valley this summer.

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