Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger thinks Alex Iwobi will mature into the club’s future No 10. The Nigeria international has largely played on the left of Arsenal’s midfield since becoming a regular for the first team – but Wenger has predicted the 20-year-old will feature more centrally in the future.
Wenger admitted that the burly youngster does not boast the skills of a traditional wide player and is planning to deploy him in a different role in the coming years. Mesut Ozil currently occupies the much-discussed No 10 position at the Emirates Stadium, but Wenger has suggested Iwobi could one day replace the World Cup-winning star at Arsenal.
“You see that he is not a typical winger. I think he can play in that [No 10] role,” he said after Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Reading in the fourth round of the EFL Cup, according to The Mirror. “He turns the game forward, he passes the ball through the lines very well, he has a final ball in him. I think he has all in the locker to pass and give the final ball.”
While Wenger has been thoroughly impressed with the progress Iwobi has made over the last 12 months, he admitted the youngster needs to improve his finishing in front of goal. The midfielder has yet to score for Arsenal this season, despite playing regularly in Wenger’s attack-minded side.
“What you want from him now is the finishing, and that’s still a little part that is missing in his game,” the Arsenal boss shared. “He is too nervous at the moment when he has the possibility to finish.”
Meanwhile, Wenger recently said it was imperative Iwobi remains humble if he is to realise his potential at Arsenal. “He is 20 years old, and I think he has talent, he has ambition, he has a big passion for the game and until now he has humility. We have to take care that he keeps that quality, because it’s an important one,” the Frenchman told Arsenal’s official website.
“But he has gained confidence and power. I believe as well he has a good combination between quick passing, picking players out and running with the ball. He gets that balance right, until now, and that’s not easy.”
