Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones has explained why the Championship club moved to bring Nigeria international goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo to The Valley, with the coach impressed by the shot-stopper’s performances against his side last season, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Okonkwo has joined the Addicks on a season-long loan from Wrexham, with Jones delighted to secure the services of the highly rated goalkeeper ahead of the new campaign.
The Charlton boss revealed that Okonkwo caught his attention during Wrexham’s two meetings with Charlton last season, producing outstanding saves in both encounters.
“I’m delighted to bring Arthur to the club. We know how good a goalkeeper he is; he made two world-class saves against us last season, one in each game we played against Wrexham,” Jones said.
Jones also pointed to the goalkeeper’s willingness to join Charlton as another factor behind the club’s decision to pursue the deal.
“He also showed a real desire to come to us after our initial meeting, which was important for us,” he added.
The manager believes Okonkwo’s quality, experience and physical presence will strengthen his squad, particularly highlighting the 6ft 6in goalkeeper’s ability between the posts.
“He’s an excellent shot-stopper, of good pedigree, with good experience and the teams he’s played in have done well, so I'm looking forward to working with him,” Jones concluded.
Okonkwo began his professional career at Arsenal before gaining experience through loan spells and later establishing himself at Wrexham.
The 24-year-old will now aim to secure regular playing time at Charlton and make a strong impact during his season-long spell with the Championship outfit.