Arsenal: Why Alex Iwobi and, more importantly, why now?

Arsenal look set to hand Alex Iwobi a massive five-year deal, and the right questions are being asked. Why is this happening and why now?

This summer has been pretty much perfect for Arsenal thus far. There is still time for some disappointments, although we obviously won’t be holding our breath for them. Aaron Ramsey stands out as the one potential failure of the summer, if they can’t lock him into a new deal and are therefore forced to sell him.

But perhaps in another “slip up,” the club seems pretty set on offering 22-year-old Alex Iwobi a massive five-year contract that will locking him into the club well into his prime years as a footballer.

This is a curious decision. Very curious. And it’s got fans rightfully riled up. The first question they are asking, obviously, is why Iwobi?

With Ramsey in need of the exact same deal, why is it Iwobi popping up as the subject of new contract. After his initial burst onto the scene in 2016, Iwobi has done nothing but regress. Granted, he’s still young. There is still plenty of time for him to capitalize on the talent that he has.

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But that’s why the second question is important, arguably moreso – why now?

Iwobi did not need a new deal. True, Granit Xhaka didn’t either, but there is a future in Xhaka that is clear and obvious. Plus he has present-day value.

Iwobi doesn’t have present day value and his future is incredibly unclear. Plus his previous contract was good until 2020. Meaning that next summer would have been the perfect time to assess where we stood with him and either sell him or get him a new deal.

Jumping the gun and doing it this summer doesn’t really accomplish anything. Especially on the back of reports that he could be sold for more than 20m. I don’t think many fans would have turned away from that deal.

And yet, the club did, and they are offering him a new contract in the process.

I’m all for showing faith in the guys we have, and I still believe that Iwobi can do something special. But it was an unnecessary step to take. If he earns a contract, you have all year to get it to him. There’s no point in doing this now.