Arsene Wenger: Alex Iwobi Joined Super Eagles Because England Wanted Him Less

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has explained why Alex Iwobi joined the Nigerian national football team despite being eligible to play for England.

Iwobi moved to London at the age of four, and went through the England youth setup, playing at Under-16, U17 and U18 level but didn't feature for the U21s. Instead he opted to represent the Super Eagles when they first called him up in early October 2015, several weeks before the youngster made his Arsenal debut.

“He had the potential to play for England and for Nigeria,” Arsene Wenger said. “Today he looks very happy with Nigeria. When I speak to him, he’s had very positive experiences.

“He brings his quality to Nigeria – he’s absolutely a creative player going forward. He’s very strong in small spaces and he’s starting to score goals as well.

“For a while it was open between England and Nigeria, and England didn’t really push for Alex during that period. Nigeria were more willing to have him. I’ve seen many times that sons of parents from Nigeria want to go back to their parents’ country.”