Arsenal manager Unai Emery has confirmed that Nigerian winger Alex Iwobi is set to sign a new contract with the club which is believed to keep him at the Emirates up until 2023. He was quoted as saying,”I have the information, he is near. My information is he will sign to stay with us.”
The Nigerian has shown some promise once in a while but the Spanish manager will be hoping that Iwobi can take his game a notch higher in the upcoming season. The 22-year-old is the product of Arsenal’s academy and he seems to have impressed the new manager as he is set to improve on his current contract.
Emery has been ruthless as he allowed Jack Wilshere to part ways with the club, however, it seems like Iwobi is in the plans of the new manager. Though, the Nigerian needs to improve on various fronts to be more threatening. Last season, he made 39 appearances and contributed with three goals and seven assists. The Spanish manager should look to add another winger to the squad as apart from the 22-year-old Nigerian, one cannot classify anyone as an outright winger in the Gunners squad.
Iwobi represented England at the youth level but went on to play for Nigeria at the senior level as he is likely to get more playing opportunities with the African nation. The 22-year-old is known for his dribbling skills and his control in tight spaces. However, his manager will want more out of him in the upcoming season as he will like to see him contribute more on the attacking front.
Iwobi can be termed as a work in progress and the Arsenal hierarchy seems to think that he can reach a higher level in the next few years as they don’t mind elongating his contract. However, the player needs to work on his end product a bit more as he often fails to find the right pass in tight situations. The team will also benefit if he manages to add a goal threat to his game.
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At just 22, he has already won 21 caps for Nigeria, however, now is the time for him to take his game to the next level as the next few seasons will decide whether he will just be one of those players who cannot fulfil their potential or the one who reached their utmost capabilities. The manager has shown trust in him and it is time for him to repay that in the upcoming season.
