The Arsenal fans have been telling Arsene Wenger this sort of thing for years, we even have our in jokes about the things he says such as fit again players being like a new signing, but the boss does not seem to be listening. Perhaps he would be more amenable if the advice on his transfer policy was coming from one of his own players.
Well in a report by The Sun the young Nigeria international Alex Iwobi, who yesterday scored the goal that took his nation to the World Cup, offered a pretty bleak assessment of what the Gunners could be in for if the majority of Arsenal transfer rumours are right and we are going to lose Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
Iwobi said, “When they are fit they are unstoppable. They are both capable of changing a game — or a season.
“They have a big decision to make. But it would be a huge setback to lose them because from the stats you can see we do need them for their goals and assists.
“For a team like Arsenal, we need to be aiming for the top four and we need what they bring.
“It will be great for them to stay. I’ve learnt a lot from them.
“Just the opportunity to even train with them has been amazing. They are two top-class players with great experience having played at the top level.”
The fact that the Arsenal academy graduateis saying this despite being one of the players to benefit in terms of time on the pitch if one or both left shows good ambition for the club but is a bit worrying at the same time. Iwobi clearly thinks we either have to keep them or replace them properly, with equal quality or better, and I am sure most of us agree.
That means transfers, Arsene, expensive ones. Are you going to do it?
D.N.