Rasheed Adewuyi | New York
There is no guarantee that Nigeria forward Alex Iwobi will command a first team shirt at Arsenal next season.
This is because Arsenal FC of London have lined up 10 summer transfer targets, seven of whom are potential threats to Iwobi’s chances of playing regularly when the 2019/2020 season commences in August.
The shortlisted players are Real Madrid loanee, Janes Rodriguez, Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Yifang FC), Nicolas Pépé (Lille), Cengiz Ünder (AS Roma), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari FC) and Jadon Sancho (Borrusia Dortmund).
Tribunesport understands that Arsenal coach Unai Emery who had relied much on Iwobi and Henrikh Mikhitaryan because of their ability to play wide, wants to sign at least two or three of his transfer targets because of their pace and ability to score goals.
Tribunesport learnt that Emery is not impressed with the overall performance of Iwobi, claiming that his goals and assists return are short of what Arsenal need from a member of the front three strikers.
Emery, before the 2018/19 season commenced, had tasked his forwards to hit target in double digits in all competitions, which Iwobi failed to achieve.
However, Arsenal’s qualification for the Champions League subject to winning the Europa Cup will determine if any of Emery’s targets will lace their boots for the north Londoners because most of the players want to play in Europe’s prestigious club competition.
Arsenal will play Chelsea in this year’s Europa League final on May 27 in Baku, Azerbaijan.