There's a "very good chance" that Wrexham fans will see Arthur Okonkwo back in the Red Dragons shirt, according to co-owner Rob McElhenney.
The ex-Arsenal goalkeeper was a fan favourite during last season's promotion to League One, with the 22-year-old arriving on loan following the shock re-retirement of former Manchester United keeper Ben Foster after just four games in League Two.
Okonkwo's contract with the Gunners expired this summer and while free agency will inspire a swathe of eager suitors, rumours have swirled around the potential to bring the shot-stopper back to the StoKe Cae Ras as the Welsh club continue their pilgrimage up the English football pyramid.
And co-owner McElhenney offered an encouraging update on the potential to bring Okonkwo back to north Wales on a permanent deal.
Speaking to talkSPORT, the 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' actor said: "There’s a very good chance. We’re talking to Arthur actively right now, we know he wants to come back to Wrexham and we definitely want him. It’s just about working out the right deal that works for everybody."
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The highly-rated keeper is seen as prudent business for Wrexham, who are plotting their path through League One with plenty of humility. An indulgence on ageing stars over the course of the last two seasons has reaped its share of rewards having earned the Welsh club back-to-back promotions for the first time in its history.
Yet, a need to build a squad on youth and long-term planning has become paramount to reaching the upper echelons of the game.
Arthur Okonkwo could return to Wrexham after helping the club to promotion from League Two (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Okonkwo joined Wrexham teammates in Las Vegas for another celebratory promotion bash after the end of the last season and has been open about his love for the club.
Asked about the future, Okonkwo told the Athletic: “I haven’t looked too much into things at the moment. But I will, very soon. It is about looking at all my opportunities and seeing which is the best for me. I’ve loved it at Wrexham and they will stay in my heart forever. It’s more of a waiting game now and seeing what is the right move for myself.”
How Wrexham might fare in the third tier of English football has become a subject of fierce speculation. Many fans and pundits alike have reached a general consensus that a top-half finish would represent a significant achievement for a club still without an official training ground and whose Kop end is currently home to a temporary stand.
But others, such as former shot-stopper Foster, are less chary.
"I think they’re going to do it," Foster said on his podcast Fozcast earlier this year. "I think they’re going to invest again in another four or five, maybe half a dozen players good players, solid people, solid professionals that are going to raise the standard just a little bit more. But I think that what they’ve got in that team anyway is League One level.
"If you can add a little bit more quality, a bit more experience, I think they’re going to be there or thereabouts next season. And to go back-to-back-to-back, I don’t know if it’s been done before, but it’d be phenomenal."
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