Nigerian
player Alex Iwobi has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal-for four
years- the Premier League club announced on Friday, August 3.
Despite
initially being linked to Lazio, Arsenal announced on Friday that Iwobi has now
signed a contract extension with the clu, keeping him at the club until June
2022.
The
midfielder has been with Arsenal since he was six and has made the grades all
the way to the first team.
"It's
always been my childhood dream to represent Arsenal," Iwobi told Arsenal
Player.
"To get
an extended contract is an amazing feeling and I hope I’m doing the Arsenal
family proud, as well as my family.
"The
first kit that I had was Arsenal and long may I continue to represent them.
"I
always realise that I have to be representing the team and giving 100 per cent
at all times. It’s not just myself or my family I’m representing, I also
represent the people and the younger generation as well.
"There’s
always going to be pressure in football and it’s always amazing for young kids,
especially at Hale End [where his shirt adorns the wall], to look up to me. So
I’ll try and continue making them proud."
The future
of the 22-year-old at Arsenal was uncertain following the exit of Arsene Wenger
who gave him his first team debut at the club.
But new
manager Unai Emery considers the Nigeria international an important player in
his plans.
“I’m very
pleased Alex has signed a new contract with us,” Emery said about Iwobi’s
contract extension.
“He is a
great example of a player who can succeed from the Academy through hard work
and I look forward to working with him and our other talented young players in
the squad.”
The Spanish
coach even ordered Iwobi to cut short his holiday by one week so he could
travel with the team to their pre-season tour of Singapore.
“Emery
clearly wants him in his plans, he cut short his holiday by one week and said
‘I want you on the pre-season tour of Singapore with me,” the source told Pulse
Sports.
Iwobi was
discovered by Arsenal at the age of six while playing at Rippleway, a Sunday
League team.
He spent two
years at Arsenal’s development centre before signing and moving to Hale End
when he was nine.
At the age
of 16, he moved from Hale End to London Colney where he played for the Arsenal
Youth Teams before making his first-team debut.
Iwobi has
nine goals in 98 appearances for Arsenal.
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