Not that it’s much of a surprise for Arsenal fans, but Alex Iwobi is having a very good season, whether it is for club and country, and it seems that, despite all the potential talk, the player’s rise has caught a few off guard.
Even those who know him well, like Samson Siasia, can’t quite wrap their head around how quickly the player has managed to go from being someone people barely knew to a first-team regular for Arsène Wenger at Arsenal.
He said: “When I first saw him, he had good touches, but this being his first time in Nigeria after a long while, you couldn’t see the best of him. We needed him to understand the kind of system Nigeria uses, now you see what he has turned out to be – one of the best young players in the world.”
Talked about in the same ilk as compatriot and Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho as well as Manchester United rival Marcus Rashford, the Nigeria international’s ease at playing under pressure has been a joy to watch, and Wenger’s trust in him can only be praised.
Siasia continued: “I am amazed with Alex’s rapid growth. It has been a great transition for him. He is now a star at Arsenal playing with a lot of confidence. Two years ago, nobody knew who he was as he was playing in Arsenal’s second-team.”
With 14 appearances already under his belt this season, as well as three assists to his name, the 20-year-old is quickly making the left-hand side of Arsenal’s front four his own, and with time very much on his side, he’ll probably stay there for the foreseeable future, too.
