The Okonkwo goalkeeping dynasty in Arsenal will continue as Brian Okonkwo, younger brother to former goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, has signed professional terms with the club.
The 18-year-old has signed his first professional contract with the North London giants, stepping into the shoes of Arthur, who recently left the club.
One Okonkwo leaves, another signs on at Arsenal
Arthur joined Arsenal as an eight-year-old in 2009. After his contract expired, he moved to EFL League One side Wrexham on a permanent basis, following an impressive loan spell with the club last season.
Now, his younger brother is following in his footsteps and hopes to surpass Arthur by breaking into the first team.
This summer, Arsenal released several goalkeepers from their academy but decided to retain Brian, recognizing his bright future at the Emirates Stadium. Last season, Brian featured six times for the academy and spent part of the season on loan at non-league side Cheshunt FC.
After signing the contract, he expressed his pride and ambitions on Arsenal’s official website.
“It’s definitely a proud moment for me and my family,” he said.
“I’ve worked hard over the last few years to achieve this. It’s a step for me to keep pushing to new heights and get more successful moments like this in the future. It’s really satisfying.
The club has trust in me, which is really important, helping me with my confidence. I’ve been here for nearly eight years, so I’ve made a lot of relationships here, and it’s one of the best clubs in the world.”
Can Brian break into the Arsenal first team?
The 18 year-old started garnering attention with Jack Wilshere's under-18 team back in the 2022/23 season.
Last year, he gained experience with the under-21s in Premier League 2 and even kept a clean sheet in a notable 2-0 away win against Liverpool.
He hopes to transition to the first team at the Gunners and surpass his brother's achievements at the club.
