Wrexham Lands Several Key Transfers on Deadline Day
Transfer deadline day has come and gone as the summer window slammed shut this afternoon. Everyone's favorite Welsh soccer squad, the Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds'-owned Wrexham AFC, made several key moves that should help them move up the League Two table.
Wrexham has been without several key players due to injury, including superstar striker Paul Mullin. That has led to an uneven start after earning promotion out of the National League last season. They needed to add some pieces to jumpstart a 2023-24 that has begun slowly.
Here's a look at who they added at the deadline.
Arthur Okonkwo
Okonkwo is a 21-year-old goalkeeper who will arrive at Wrexham on season-long loan from Arsenal. He split the 2022-23 season between two loan spells, one at Crewe Alexandra in League Two, and the other for SK Sturm Granz in the Austrian Bundesliga. He made 44 total appearances.
Thanks to veteran keeper Ben Foster's recent retirement, things were a bit unsettled in goal for The Red Dragons. Rob Lainton, the club's long-time keeper suffered a knee injury in March, a month after returning from a career-threatening wrist injury. Mark Howard made 39 starts for Wrexham last season and has stepped in since Foster's retirement.
Despite those players being around, it's hard to imaging Okonkwo was added to sit on the bench. He might get a chance to win the top job.
George Evans
Perhaps the biggest move of deadline day was the addition of George Evans, who was stolen from Championship club Milwall. Evans is a centre-back and defensive midfielder who will help solidify a shaky defense that has seen Wrexham allow a league-high 14 goals in five matches.
The 28-year-old Evans came through the ranks at Manchester City and did loan spells at Crewe Alexandra, Scunthorpe United and Walsall in League One. They he played for Redding and Derby County in the Championship before spending the last three seaons with Milwall at that level.
Evans has signed a two-year deal and arrived on a free transfer.
Luke Armstrong* (see update)
This is the blockbuster move. Wrexham landed striker Luke Armstrong from Harrogate Town for what is expected to be £500,000, plus add-ons. That is a club-record for a transfer. The 27-year-old was under contract through 2025, but has been attempting to force a move for a few weeks. The 6-foot-3 Armstrong has spent the last two seasons in League Two, scoring 18 goals in 91 league appearances. He has one goal in three league starts this seasons.
The addition of Armstrong should inject life into an attack that has struggled with Mullin injured.
UPDATE: Wrexham has announced the Armstrong transfer fell through due to paperwork not being submitted in time. Both Harrogate and Wrexham announced the move publicly but it was apparently not finished before the transfer window closed.