Arsenal talks delayed for one as team-mate signs five-year contract

Arsenal have agreed a new contract with breakthrough star Alex Iwobi, but Arsenal talks to extend Jack Wilshere’s deal has been put on the back burner.

The England international is yet to feature this season, having picked up an injury in May of last year, but recently returned to training in hope of earning some playing time.

Wilshere looks a shoe in for Roy Hodgson’s squad for the European Championships if he can prove his fitness, but will need to convince Arsene Wenger to play him, and that could be a tougher ask following the weekend’s antics.

The 24 year-old was pictured talking to police in the early hours of Sunday morning after being involved in an altercation between two groups. Wilshere has now had his contract extension talks postponed, and will now need to sit down with his boss and explain his part in the incident instead.

The good news for Arsenal fans is that Alex Iwobi has put pen to paper to sign a new five-year deal, keeping him tied to us until 2021, having agreed an increased £30,000 per week deal.

The Nigerian international has been the brightest light of our season, emerging from the youth team to earn a regular starting place in our senior side in recent weeks. Iwobi was even selected to start the game against Barcelona at the Nou Camp, highlighting his importance to the team.

Surely this contract will be the first of many, with him appearing to be growing in stature game-by-game. The winger has scored in his last two Premier League matches, and picked up the Man of the Match award against Watford this weekend, and certainly looks likely to continue to progress under Wenger.

I’m happy to see the young star getting a deserved increase in his income, but I just hope his new deal doesn’t distract him from the direction he is going in.

Wilshere’s Arsenal talks delay isn’t the worst news in my opinion, with two years left to run on his current one, he should have to earn his new pay-grade, instead of having it gifted to him for sitting on the sidelines for 12 months. Mohamed Elneny and Francis Coquelin are deserving their central roles, and neither of those are earning as much as Wilshere is on now, before his supposed increase.

Does Jack deserve a new deal and a pay rise?