Officials of Nigeria’s national team have been put on red alert by reports that Arsenal attacker, Alex Iwobi is down with influenza, as it could knock him out of Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles.
Iwobi was not dressed for Arsenal’s English Premier League match away to Cardiff City on Sunday, and The Gunners’ boss, Unai Emery revealed that the star was not named in the 18-man squad for Sunday afternoon’s clash in Cardiff because the player was ill.
Iwobi has been named in the latest Super Eagles roster for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles on September 8 and it remains to be seen if he will report for international duty on Tuesday.
Without Iwobi, The Gunners won their second successive game, beating the Bluebirds 3-2, with Shkodran Mustafi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette finding the net at Cardiff City Stadium.
Iwobi was a non-playing substitute against Manchester City on the opening day of the 2018-19 season and started against Chelsea and West Ham prior to his illness.
The 22-year-old saw only two minutes of action in Nigeria’s last two competitive matches against Iceland and Argentina but played 62 minutes in the 2-0 loss to Croatia.
Iwobi shone in his first start of the season against Chelsea but he was substituted against West Ham United in The Gunners’ next match the previous weekend.
Nonetheless, Iwobi’s goal against Chelsea is now a contender for Arsenal’s best in August, but it faces stiff competition to win the first monthly accolade of the new season from the duo of Nacho Monreal and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Iwobi finished from an 18-pass move that involved all the Arsenal players except Aubameyang to equalize for the Gunners in the 41st minute at Stamford Bridge.
The Hale End Academy product has also been nominated for Arsenal Player of the Month along with Guendouzi, Mkhitaryan and Cech.
