It’s been almost six years since Alex Iwobi left Arsenal, but the Hale End graduate is not in a rush to forget his roots.
Iwobi represented Arsenal from the age of eight, progressing through all age groups to make his first team debut 11 years later as a 19-year-old.
Arsene Wenger took the Nigerian under his wing to give him the tools to allow his career to flourish to what it has, being a player with almost 300 Premier League appearances under his belt.
Now at Fulham, Iwobi is hitting new heights under Marco Silva, but in a recent interview, he reminisced about where it all began.
Alex Iwobi reveals Jack Wilshere’s impact on the Arsenal academy
Despite playing for a London rival, Iwobi still makes his love for Arsenal known, as he mocked Tottenham after Fulham’s win over Spurs in March.
Amid Fulham’s battle to end the season on a high, the Nigeria international sat down with Sky Sports to briefly reflect on his career so far.
During the interview, Iwobi lifted the lid on his time at Hale End, where he identified the one former Arsenal player who had an idolistic impact on several youngsters.
That figure was Jack Wilshere, whom Iwobi waxed lyrical about when reciting one memory from his journey through Arsenal’s academy.
“In the Hale End academy, everyone used to idolise and tried to play like him,” the 28-year-old said of Wilshere.
“He had something called the Jack Wilshere turn, where the ball gets played to him and he turns without touching the ball, that’s literally what we tried to copy when we were youngsters.”
Wilshere is still inspiring those at Hale End, as before leaving Arsenal to join Norwich’s coaching staff, the Englishman oversaw the U18s.
Iwobi continued his praise of the now-retired midfielder by revealing how he used to support him during his rise at Arsenal.
“He used to be someone I looked up to,” Iwobi said.
“Going into first team training, he was one of the guys who would take me in and make sure I was comfortable, he was like a big bro to me.”
Wilshere’s surprising Arsenal record
The former England international will always be an inspiration to many and will continue to inspire as he embarks on the latest chapter of his coaching career.
Wilshere was named Norwich City’s interim manager for the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign, taking the first steps to being a manager.
As the Arsenal icon continues to navigate his career as a coach, it’s easy to forget that he’s still only 33 after he tragically retired early due to injuries.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 197 | 14 | 28 |
Wilshere left behind an almighty legacy at Arsenal, but the midfielder’s scoring record is something that will perhaps surprise many.
In 197 appearances for the Gunners, Wilshere only found the net 14 times, with his best scoring season in the Premier League being the three goals he scored in 2013/14.
Goals don’t determine a player’s success, as Wilshere knows all too well, being a figure idolised in N5 by the next generation.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
