Alex Iwobi and Chuba Akpom nearly joined West Ham
Arsenal attacker Alex Iwobi has revealed that he nearly joined West Ham back in his early days, along with current Arsenal team-mate Chuba Akpom.
In an interview with Match of the Day magazine, Iwobi has explained that he and Akpom spent three years as schoolboys training with both West Ham and Arsenal.
First scouted at the age of six by both clubs, the pair split time over the next three years with both clubs until they turned nine when they were allowed to be signed by professional clubs.
Iwobi has stated that being a boyhood Arsenal fan and them being a bigger club than the Hammers was a key factor in his decision.
“Arsenal and West Ham were interested in me and Chuba [Akpom], so we were training with both clubs for three years, because we were scouted at six and you can’t sign until you’re nine,” he said.
“I decided to sign for Arsenal because I supported them back then and I always saw them as the bigger club – no disrespect to West Ham.”
Both Iwobi and Akpom started life at the same primary school and played for the same Sunday League side when his Dad caught wind that there were scouts in attendance for one of their games, and that’s how the pair were first noticed.
“There were a lot of good players at my school, like my Arsenal team-mate Chuba Akpom, everyone loved football at my first primary school.
“[But I was scouted] playing for my local Sunday league team, Rippleway.
“My dad heard that a scout was there to watch me and Chuba – we were just playing and didn’t think anything of it.”
The 20-year-old winger broke into the Arsenal side last season, making 21 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions, scoring twice.
He’s nailed down a place in this season’s squad as well and has also become a regular for Nigeria after scoring his first international goal last month against Zambia on his seventh appearance for his country.
Akpom, 21, is still trying to find his feet at Arsenal following an unsuccessful loan spell with Hull last season, but Arsenal Wenger has kept the striker in and around the first-team squad this season.