The former Gunners striker has called on his countryman to become a leader at club level and acknowledge that he is deserving of such a standing <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Alex Iwobi has been told by Nwankwo Kanu that he is a \u201cstar in his own right\u201d and needs to embrace such a standing at Arsenal.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old is a product of a famed academy system in north London, having linked up with the Gunners as a schoolboy.<\/p>\n
He has graduated through the ranks to make 98 senior appearances, but is yet to show his full potential on a consistent basis at club level.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Iwobi has no such problems when representing his country, having become a talismanic presence for Nigeria, and his fellow countryman wants to see him fill a similar role domestically.<\/p>\n
Former Arsenal striker Kanu told Standard Sport: \u201cIn Arsenal you have big, big names. I don\u2019t think he sees himself in that way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I talk with him I want him to feel that way. Just because you\u2019re younger than the other players doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re not a star. He\u2019s a star in his own right.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen he comes to Nigeria he feels the pressure: he\u2019s Iwobi, he needs to deliver. With Arsenal he thinks \u2018ok, there\u2019s other names here, no problem\u2019. He needs to change that.”<\/p>\n
Iwobi has managed just nine goals for the Gunners to date, with that lack of end product having sparked exit talk at regular intervals.<\/p>\n
Kanu is, however, convinced that the talented forward can prove to be a useful asset for Unai Emery and Arsenal\u00a0– with a new contract already in the pipeline.<\/p>\n