Alex Iwobi: Nigeria winger recounts experience at Arsenal 

By Wale Mustapha

Nigeria midfielder, Alex Iwobi has disclosed how he was able to overcome pressure and demands from supporters during his four-year professional spell as an Arsenal player.

Iwobi came through the ranks at the Gunners, scoring 15 goals in 149 games since his debut in October 2015 and  was eventually sold to Everton in the summer of 2019 for £35m on a five-year deal where his game has significantly improved as he has been made to play in midfield away from his wide positions at Arsenal.

Featuring on the Premier League Productions show ‘The Art of the Mind’, the Super Eagles’ playmaker who shunned his country of birth England to play for Nigeria at the senior level, spoke on his career challenges in the league along with the trio of David de Gea (Manchester United), Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) and Patrick Bamford (Leeds United).

In his words: Iwobi said: “When I played for Arsenal, a lot of people questioned my abilities. The criticisms were just too much.

“But I had my family who stood behind me. My dad kept telling me that I am at such a big club for a reason and I should keep working hard. He was instrumental in me overcoming such harsh feedbacks.

“I owe my family a lot in this regard. These days, I just go out there and try and put in my best. I accepted the fact that there would always be critics,” he concluded.