Arsenal should grab the 25 million for Iwobi!

I have been fairly critical of the lack of ambition shown in this transfer window, yet Unai Emery might have done his best bit of business getting over 20 million for Alex Iwobi.

Wherever that fee would be used to buy someone else or put straight in the bank is a debate for another day, the fact is there are individuals who do not belong on our payroll. No one doubts the Nigerian’s ability on the ball but he has a lack of confidence in his final ball, both in terms of a key pass and finishing. Statistics back that up and if you are an attacking midfielder who’s not confident in the final third you don’t have a lot left.

Iwobi has often escaped critiscism in my opinion having broke through our youth ranks, every fan wants one of their own to succeed and therefore give him more chances then others. Imagine what would’ve been said had Ozil been out partying 24 hours before an FA Cup defeat. In an inexperienced squad, Iwobi should’ve taken responsibility to be our main man against Nottm Forest but went missing when things started going wrong. He’s an example of Arsene Wenger putting too much trust in an individual without ever having them feel any pressure.

We were always told this was a player better for his country than his club yet he was dropped after one game at the World Cup. Perhaps Iwobi would be better suited at a level where the demand is not to win every week. That’s why a loan switch seemed a compromise. It would ‘ve given him 12 months out of his comfort zone to prove he belongs at the Emirates.

But for him, at a time we have a limited transfer kitty would be too good too turn down.

34 Comments

  1. I think a loan move move to a premier league outfit will be better for now than an outright sale

    1. If Lazio only offered £11, hope Arsenal said don’t call back unless offer is realistic and less insulting.

      £11 million is too low even for Welbeck.

  2. If the money is put towards upgrading the winger position, sell Welbeck and add those funds as well.

    Sentimentality has held this club back long enough.

    I’d sell Ramsey as well. Club has been more than generous with the contract offered. If he’s holding out for more money, captains armband, guarantees, etc… cut him loose. Club comes first; not appeasing an average midfielder holding out for more.

    There are better midfielders all across Europe.

    Iwobi seems more like another Walcott to me; hanging around cashing paychecks, happy to be a professional at a “big” club. Have seen little in his performances in an Arsenal shirt to suggest anything else.

    Quite frankly, young man should be very very concerned about his future. Dropped from Nigeria starting 11 in World Cup, and now his home club considering his sale.

    Dude should be first to training and last to leave. Emery digs hard working players, and Iwobi needs to show something, anything. Currently, £25 million is looking far far better than anything he is currently offering.

      1. Thanks Jon, have a question for you.

        I know of your dislike for Walcott, and wonder if you see Iwobi going down a similar path?

        Iwobi is a Walcott 2.0 for me, and I’ve seen nothing over the last 2 years to suggest otherwise.

        Does the club need further “weeding?”

        1. What annoys me is the fact we let gharby go and imo he was the best out of all the wingers we had ,now look at him

            1. Xxnofx I agree with you 100%

              What gets me is instead of Gnabry getting chances in the RW slot Ramsey was forced into the RW position. Surely Gnabry could have offered more?
              Pace, technique, strength were all better than Ramsey. Who knows what could have been with Gnabry.

              Don’t want to miss another opportunity like that with AMN. We’ll be stuck with 30 yr old Ramsey and a 24 year old AMN leaving for another club in a couple years.

              1. Exactly and we got peanuts for gnabry aswell,think he hit double figures last season for hof .

            2. Please get the fact right. We didn’t let him go he forced his way out. I can remember he was offered a contract extension and told he would go on loan to improve his fitness and he refused both offers and preferred to moved on permanently.

        2. Durand, I think IWOBIS MAIN PROBLEM IS IMMATURITY AND LACK OF CONFIDENCE/ SELF ASSURANCE. He is a liitle boy in a man’s body with a teenage LAZY attitude to life . I do not rate his ability and don’t see him as Arsenal quality, frankly. Walcott stuck around for 12 years, uselessly, so was far worse as he stayed so long. We still have a lot of Wengers deadwood to shift with Wengers pampered attitude, for his players, to hard work. Emery will not tolerate laziness and I am sure of that. We cannot shift ALL the deadwood this summer, much as I would like it to happen. But by next summer , I think we will have very few, if any bar maybe Ozil, of Wengers OLD established regulars from a full year ago as first pick. This leaves in the likes of Auba, Laca who came later. Wenger left the club in such disarray that Emery will need time to shape the squad and the starting eleven in his own image, completely. But the sooner the better. The club has been asleep with a coasting attitude for a bout the last decade. Under Emery, Sven, Raul etc those days are gone . I am convinced of that.

          1. You summed things up pretty well Jon. Changes are happening, but some clearing out is still definitely needed. There seems to be more optimism going into this season, hopefully we see it translate to the pitch.

          2. Please tell me how Iwobi has a “LAZY attitude to life”?

            That’s absolute nonsense.

            I want him gone as well and hope he never plays for arsenal again but say he has a lazy attitude in a life where already at 22 he has achieved more than you ever will is utter garbage.

  3. I think Iwobi should be given a chance under the new coach. It ain’t Iwobi alone, our youngsters they all stagnated under Wenger. Iwobi like Bellerin and even Xhaka, deserves a chance. We’ll have cup games and the Europa, let’s see if he’ll improve under Emery

  4. 25 million is much better than what we have see from Iwobi so this year. I thought he would have shined in the world cup but was not able to step up. I agree Iwobi is like Jack and Walcott plus OX. Always promising but not able to step it up to another level. The big wings should buy Zaha for Iwobi or Command.

    1. Whether you see it this way or not Pal I can tell you that Racism has nothing to do with it.This is Arsenal Football Club we are discussing.I wouldn’t care less if the topic was about a Martian.If he is a good enough footballer to play for our Club then we would support him.Alex Iwobi is clearly not good enough.And I don’t for one minute believe that the Lazio offer was for £25m or anywhere near that figure.Thete is far less money in the Italian game than in England and there are far better players out there than Iwobi for a lot less money.
      And as far as your Racism comments go I would find it very hard to find a Club that is less Racist in its fanbase than Arsenal.It is only people such as YOU seem to play this Racist charge.We fans had no problem with Kanu when he was at Arsenal but we are talking about a very very good footballer.Alex Iwobi has consistently proved he is not

  5. IF, as it may appear- I do say MAY- we really can get an offer of 20-25 mill for Iwobi, it would be madness not to grab their hand off. THere are still several non totally committed snowflake types at our club. Wenger encouraged such behaviour and collected that type, Walcott being the most obvious slacker and kept for a disgraceful 12 years. Emery will not and should not stand for that sort and should get them out of the club ASAP. Iwobi is just immature in every way except physically. Immaturity never competes for titles , no matter who is managing . We all know Pep would not stand for that sort. Nor would Klopp, Pochettino or Mourinho. That is oneimportant reason why they are all ahead of us.

  6. if wilshere was convinced to stand aside and let new arsenal morph into shape i see no reason iwobi shouldn’t do the same. if for some reason we’re all proved wrong then his ability will be there to see wheresoever he may go. for now in answer to the Q does he come close to the calibre and quality that is needed? then following what for some would be an uncomfortable silence, the answer is no. the reality is iwobi needs to be moved on. personally would rather see nketiah given minutes as we’d get far more end product from this young gunner in the short term i like him a lot

  7. I just read that Arsenal have ready a contract for 2 years for Iwobi I call it
    a bad news………….

  8. That amount is probably Iwobi’s worth. 30 million doesn’t make sense. Iwobi would be no gamble for whoever buys him – his time at Arsenal has shown enough of what he can do. But whom would that fee get Arsenal in the transfer market? I’d prefer Alex to Andre Gomes.

  9. fans have to be careful letting players go or be sold… Gnabry and the ox were sold nd gunners kept clapping.. now out of no where they are good.
    ,
    when chelsit were selling Sallah and deBruyne why cant the eagle eyes buy them to arsenal? i see players playing different roles during AW…

    the new coach knows the kind of players he wants not the fans and also knows what to tap from the core of players.

    i feel iwobi needs a chance (last)

    1. Gnabry and Ox wanted to leave and they were in the final year of their contracts. Who can blame them though? Gnabry was never given the chance to the point that wenger prefered to play ramsey in RW instead of giving him the chance he needed.. Ox we all know what happened to him. We didn’t even know what was his position at our club! Ox is injured for most of this season though

      1. 1..signed by wenger
        2..put on high wages
        3..were kept too long
        4.. not arsenal standard
        5…hyped up to young and beleived the hype

  10. IWOBI HAS ONLY BEEN IN THE MAIN STREAM ARSENAL TEAM FOR JUST TOW YEARS AND I BELIEVE HE WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER OVERALL, I WOULD SAY SEND HIM ON LOAN TO CRYSTAL PALACE FOR TWO SEASON AND TAKE ZAHA AND IF HE IS NOT READY BY THEN, THEN HE CAN GO AND MAYBE WE CAN GET A LOT MORE MONEY PLUS THE LOAN MONEY TOO ?!

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