This summer, Birmingham City should be a contender to recruit Arthur Okonkwo from Arsenal, especially if John Ruddy decides to leave the team.
Birmingham City remains optimistic despite being demoted to the third division of English football for the first time in thirty years and will be hoping for a chance to rebuild this summer.
Blues will be looking to return to the Championship as soon as possible, and as their owners are ambitious and have high expectations for the future, they will be able to outspend most of their League One competitors, so they should have a strong squad at that level.
But Wrexham is one team that might be able to spend big money with them, thus the two teams ought to be fighting for the signing of a single player this summer.
Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who helped the Red Dragons earn promotion, spent the 2023–24 season on loan at the Welsh team from Arsenal. This summer, the 22-year-old will undoubtedly attract suitors once more, and Birmingham should keep a close eye on him.
Due to Neil Etheridge’s release, Birmingham City will not have a senior custodian on staff for the upcoming campaign. In addition, veteran John Ruddy’s contract at St Andrew’s is set to expire, despite an offer for a new one.
Okonkwo ought to be one of the two senior goalkeepers that the Blues sign this summer if Ruddy declines the offer of a new contract.
The Arsenal player deserves to play in League One next season after making an impression in League Two, and Birmingham City should take advantage of their reputation as a major League One team to get him to St Andrew’s before the next campaign begins.
According to Phil Parkinson, Wrexham wants to permanently re-sign Okonkwo this summer, and that makes sense. The Welsh team has a strong chance of signing him if they can satisfy his wage demands, but Blues couldn’t allow that to happen because of the positive vibe at the club.
