Most academies operate on the principal that, if a player is not quite able to make the grade, then the job of the youth system is to open the door for him to go on to enjoy a fine career elsewhere.
Arsenal’s academy is certainly no different.
Ismael Bennacer and Serge Gnabry have gone on to enjoy superb spells at AC Milan and Bayern Munich after being let go by The Gunners, putting the lessons they learned in North London to very good use.
Flo Balogun, meanwhile, benefitted immensely from a prolific loan spell at Reims, earning himself a £30 million move to Monaco as a result.
Mika Biereth is another who’s development Arsenal have handled well. The striker has been so impressive during his own loan spell in Austrian that Sturm Graz are now determined to sign him on a permanent basis amid comparisons with the £64 million Manchester United frontman Rasmus Hojlund.
Whether Biereth or goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo will ever ascend to the same summits as Bennacer and Gnabry remains to be seen.
But Phil Parkinson – who’s Wrexham side confirmed the signing of Okonkwo on a three-year deal a few days ago – certainly believes that the goalkeeper has a future at a much higher level than England’s third tier.
Arsenal sell goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo to Wrexham
“It is a great signing for us,” Parkinson beams, in conversation with The Leader. “We know what he is capable of with the season he had last year.”
Okonkwo was the colossal presence at the heart of Wrexham’s promotion out of League Two. Only AFC Wimbledon’s Alex Bass and Ben Hinchcliffe of champions Stockport County managed more than Okonwko’s 14 clean sheets.
The London-born former England youth star got the nod over his rivals, however, while securing his inclusion in League Two’s Team of the Year.
“Inevitably there was going to be a lot of interest in him in the summer and there was a lot of hard work behind the scenes to secure Arthur’s signing,” adds former Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland boss Parkinson.
“Credit to everybody getting the deal done. It is important that we work hard to secure the players we really feel can make a difference.
“We feel that Arthur is one of those who is going to keep improving. He is still young for a goalkeeper.”
Parkinson feels that Okonwko, who previously had spells at Crawley Town and at Biereth’s Sturm Graz, is a ‘statement signing’.
He might not be the typical headline-making Wrexham addition – the Hollywood-backed Welshman tending to go for more experienced players with a proven track record higher up the pyramid – but it’s telling that Okonkwo was the man on the tip of Parkinson’s tongue when consulted over his summer priorities.
Gunners academy graduate is already a fans’ favourite
“Arthur was a player in all the staff’s mind that we really wanted to get on board as soon as the season finished because he is a really good goalkeeper,” the 56-year-old explains, Wrexham fighting off competition from clubs they would have struggled against if not for the publicity and the funds provided by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
“It is a key signing for us and we are pleased to get it done. There were offers for him to go to a higher level but I think Arthur’s experience here was a very positive one.
“I am sure supporters will be excited about the signing and hopefully there will be a few more key additions before the season starts.”
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