22 Year Old Goalkeeper With 11 Caps For England At Youth Level and Chelsea Summer target Gets Approval By FIFA To Play For Super Eagles
Former England youth team goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo’s transition to Nigerian nationality has been officially sanctioned by FIFA, a development exclusively confirmed by OwnGoalNigeria.com. The 22-year-old, presently on loan from Arsenal to Wrexham in English League Two, sought to switch his allegiance from England to Nigeria. Okonkwo previously represented England at junior levels, featuring in 11 matches from ages 15 to 18, with his last appearance in 2018.
FIFA’s approval of the nationality change paves the way for Jose Peseiro, Nigeria’s senior national team coach, to consider Okonkwo for selection. However, his inclusion in the squad hinges on his performance, given the emergence of Stanley Nwabali from Chippa United as the team’s primary goalkeeper following a stellar showing at the AFCON tournament.
Okonkwo has demonstrated his goalkeeping prowess, tallying 26 clean sheets in 26 outings across all competitions for Wrexham in the third division, conceding only 26 goals in the process. Additionally, he had a commendable stint with Austrian side Sturm Graz last year, securing six clean sheets in 18 appearances. Notably, his loan spells include a notable tenure at Crewe Alexandria in League Two, where he registered ten clean sheets in 36 matches before joining the Austrian outfit.
As Okonkwo nears the end of his loan spell at Wrexham, his return to Arsenal in the summer looms, accompanied by the resolution of his club future alongside his international commitments.
