Wrexham are closing in on the signing of goalkeeper Anthony Patterson from Sunderland.

Red Dragons boss Phil Parkinson has been eager to add a new shot-stopper to his ranks and is now poised to capture the 26-year-old from his former club.

Patterson is due to undergo a medical with Wrexham and could be in line to be involved for their Championship opener at Cardiff City on 17 August.

The switch 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 is a product of Sunderland’s academy and made his senior debut for the Black Cats in a 2-1 EFL Trophy loss to Fleetwood Town 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, he helped Sunderland gain promotion into the Championship via the League One play-offs.

Having featured just once for the Premier League side in the first half of last season, Patterson spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Millwall. He featured 16 times across all competitions for the Lions.

Patterson – who has made 169 competitive appearances for the Black Cats – featured as a substitute for Sunderland as Regis Le Bris’ side beat Wrexham 1-0 in a pre-season friendly at Philadelphia’s Subaru Park on 2 August.

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

But speaking ahead of his side’s 1-0 loss to Middlesbrough in the first round of the Carabao 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.”