Done deal: Another mega star player committed to the Wrexham AFC just…..
As we strive to convert a loan transfer into a permanent one, it’s intriguing to ponder whether temporary signings might become more integral to Phil Parkinson’s strategy this season.
Parkinson has not heavily utilized the loan market thus far, with Arthur Okonkwo and Luke McNicholas being his only ventures. Reflecting on why we brought Okonkwo in on loan helps explain why this approach might become more frequent next season.
By splitting Okonkwo’s wage with Arsenal, he became a more affordable option, providing Parkinson a method to enhance his squad while staying within the EFL’s financial constraints.
The manager has consistently aimed to recruit from higher divisions to elevate the squad’s quality. There would have been no point in releasing several senior players if he didn’t intend to replace them wiDone deal: Another mega star player committed to the Wrexham AFC just…..th high-caliber talent.
The challenge lies in the financial chasm between the Championship, where teams spend aggressively to secure Premier League promotion, and League One. Adding to this disparity are the parachute payments many Championship clubs receive.
Utilizing loan signings to distribute the cost of recruitment appears to be a logical approach.
Another crucial factor in successfully securing a loan signing like Okonkwo was our promotion from the National League. Following our relegation in 2008, it became evident that clubs were reluctant to send their best young players to the fifth tier for experience.
During our Football League years, we had numerous examples of high-quality players significantly contributing while on loan. Players like Mark Wilson, Terry Cooke, and Lee Roche arrived with ambitions to break into Manchester United’s first team. Mike Lake played a vital role in our 1993 promotion, and Robbie Savage (not the famous one) won our player of the season award while on loan from Liverpool in 1983.
These young fringe players were farmed out to advance their development. A notable example is Matt Derbyshire, whose prolific spell with us under Denis Smith launched his extensive European career.
However, after relegation, the situation deteriorated. Big clubs were no longer willing to send their promising prospects to us because they saw no benefit. A successful season in non-league football wouldn’t prove much for a player aiming for Champions League performance levels.
Would Arsenal have loaned Okonkwo to us if we were still in the National League? The previous season he had spent half the campaign in League Two, then moved up to play in Austria’s top league. Dropping back to the fifth tier would have been an unusual developmental choice.
