Alex Iwobi could miss a large part of the start of the Premier League season should he be called up to the Nigeria squad for this summer’s Olympic Games.
The Rio Football tournament is set to take place begin on August 3, with Arsenal’s league campaign kicking off ten days later. Were Iwobi’s Nigeria to reach the final of the tournament the 19-year-old would be needed in Brazil until August 20.
Nigeria have a rich pedigree in the Olympic tournament, winning gold in 1996 with a side that included Iwobi’s uncle Jay Jay Okocha, and coach Samson Siasia would be expected to name a strong squad for this summer’s tournament.
Iwobi, who made his competitive debut for the Super Eagles during the most recent international break, is keen to join up with his country and told Goal Nigeria: “I am looking forward to the forthcoming Olympics and if I am invited, I will do my best to make a meaningful contribution.
“I believe that Nigeria has a crop of excellent players who are capable of doing great things at the Olympics. Coach Samson Siasia deserves a lot of praise for securing a place for the nation at the Olympics.
“I do not have any regrets whatsoever in opting to play for Nigeria and will always do my best whenever I put on the green white green colours of Nigeria. I hope to be involved in the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers too.”
Arsene Wenger's young guns
Arsenal could choose to block Iwobi’s participation in the Games, which fall outside Fifa’s window of international fixtures where clubs must release their players, though it would represent a surprising turn of events for a side with plenty of options in the youngster’s attacking position.
Germany, Argentina, Portugal and Sweden are among the other leading nations set to compete for gold at Rio, with Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil having already expressed his desire to crown his garlanded career with success at the Olympics – though with the player being over the tournament’s age limit his club would have greater recourse to withdraw him from contention.
Each nation can name three players over 23 in their squad and the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar and Thiago Silva have all made clear their desire to participate in the tournament.
