Nigeria-eligible goalkeeper Brian Okonkwo signs one year contract with West Brom

ENGLISH Championship side West Bromwich Albion (WBA) have signed Nigeria-eligible teenage goalkeeper Brian Okonkwo from Premier League side Arsenal who released him at the end of last season.

Okonkwo, 19, was released by the London club at the end of last season, along with fellow players of Nigerian descent Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and Zac Shuaib. Both managed to secure moves to Lausanne in Switzerland  and Real Sociedad in Spain respectively and now Okonkwo too has found a club, signing a one-year deal with WBA.

He had been training with the Baggies and West Brom decided to reward Okonkwo with a contract following a promising start to the campaign, highlighted by the clean sheet he kept against Crystal Palace on August 29. Brian is the younger brother of Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who is also a product of Arsenal's Hale End Academy.

During his time at Arsenal, the younger Okonkwo enjoyed multiple loan spells at non-league clubs Hitchin Town, Leatherhead and Cheshunt but left the London club without receiving a call-up for a first team game. Both Okonkwos qualify to represent Nigeria through their father, Uba Okonkwo who is originally from Anambra State.

Brian began his career as a striker before he was converted into a goalkeeper. At West Brom, he will link up with compatriots Daniel Chimeziri, Joel Asomugha, Abdul Abudu and Adam Okorodudu, who are all part of the club's academy.