Wrexham sign Sunderland goalkeeper Patterson

Wrexham have clinched the signing of goalkeeper Anthony Patterson from Sunderland for an undisclosed fee.

Patterson has signed a four-year deal with the north Wales side and could now be involved in their Championship opener at Cardiff City on Monday, 17 August.

“Wrexham really suits me in terms of what I want to do in my career, so it feels like a perfect fit,” said the 26-year-old.

“I’ve seen the journey that the club’s been on and it’s really exciting to now be part of it.

“I want to play in the Premier League with Wrexham, and I think everything is in place and ready for the club to do that.”

Patterson’s arrival could potentially pave the way for Nigeria international Arthur Okonkwo – who is in the final year of his contract with Wrexham – to leave the Racecourse Ground.

Wales international Danny Ward has also entered the final year of his contract with the club.

Patterson added: “I’m really looking forward to playing in front of our fans, pushing up the league, and getting this football club to where it deserves to be.”

Patterson is a product of Sunderland’s academy and made his senior debut for the Black Cats in 2020-21.

He made his league bow in the following season and, after joining Notts County on loan for the opening half of the 2021-22 campaign, helped Sunderland gain promotion to the Championship via the League One play-offs.

In 2024-25, Patterson featured 45 times in the Championship as Sunderland beat Sheffield United in the play-off final at Wembley to gain promotion to the Premier League.

Patterson then fell behind 2025 summer signing Robin Roefs in the Sunderland pecking order, featuring just once in the first half of last season before spending the second half of the campaign on loan at Millwall.

He featured 16 times across all competitions for the Lions.

Patterson – who made 169 competitive appearances for Sunderland – featured as a substitute as Regis Le Bris’ side beat Wrexham 1-0 in a pre-season friendly at Philadelphia’s Subaru Park earlier this month.

“We’re delighted to welcome Anthony to the football club,” Wrexham manager Parkinson said.

“He’s a young keeper, but with a lot of experience at Championship level, and we look forward to working with him.”

Wrexham have already added full-back Danny Imray and midfielder Ben Whiteman to their ranks this summer.

But speaking before his side’s 1-0 loss to Middlesbrough in the first round of the EL Cup, Parkinson said there was still work to be done on the squad.

“We feel we’re not where we need to be yet and we know that,” he said.

“We’re working, as ever, to make sure that the squad is as strong as it needs to be in what is going to be an incredibly competitive division.

“We’re under no illusions about that. We’ve got to make this squad so strong and we are working tirelessly to bring those extra players in to give everybody a boost.”

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