Alex Iwobi has made the 40-strong longlist for the 2016 Golden Boy award, run by the Italian publication Tuttosport and awarded to the best footballer under the age of 21 playing in Europe.
The Nigerian international, 20, has enjoyed a stunning 12-months at the Emirates, making his first team, Premier League and Champions League debut in the space of eight days last October. Towards the tail end of the last campaign the attacking midfielder, nephew of Jay-Jay Okocha, became a regular in Arsene Wenger’s starting line-up and has since been rewarded for his fine form with a new squad number, 17.
Iwobi is one of ten youngsters playing in the Premier League to be nominated for the award by Tuttosport. The winner will be selected by a panel of 30 journalists.
Cesc Fabregas is the only former Gunner to have won the award since its inauguration in 2003. The Spaniard won the gong in 2006, impressing for Arsenal on the road to the Champions League final.
Full list of 2016 nominees:
Dele Alli (Tottenham), Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), Leon Bailey (Genk), Riechedly Bazoer (Ajax), Gabriel Boschilia (Monaco), Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen), Carlos Fernandez (Sevilla), Andreas Christensen (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ante Coric (Dinamo Zagreb), Amadou Diawara (Napoli), Mahmoud Dahoud (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Danilo Barbosa (Benfica), Moussa Dembélé (Celtic), Ousmane Dembélé (Dortmund), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), Breel Embolo (Schalke), Gabriel Barbosa (Internazionale), Aleksandr Golovin (CSKA Moscow), Goncalo Guedes (Benfica), Demarai Gray (Leicester), Marko Grujic (Liverpool), Alen Halilovic (Hamburg), Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City), Alex Iwobi (Arsenal), Viktor Kovalenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea), Lucas Hernández (Atlético Madrid), Emanuel Mammana (Lyon), Nathan (Vitesse), Olivier Ntcham (Genoa), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich), Jairo Riedewald (Ajax), Rúben Neves (Porto), Tonny Sanabria (Real Betis), Leroy Sané (Manchester City), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen), Youri Tielemans (Anderlecht), Almamy Touré (Monaco).
Iheanacho must have a good chance. Iwobi top three?
Renato Sanches and Kingsley Coman are streets ahead of the rest of that list I think.. Iwobi, Ihenacho and Rashford for 3rd, 4th and 5th, not sure in what order though!
And Dele Alli I suppose..
Delle Ali is a poor mans Iwobi
No
Gianluigi Donnarumma for me. Ousmane Dembele is a good shout as well.
Pierce, is it you?
I really like Iwobi and our crop of young attacking players. Ive liked Akpom for 3 seasons, thought he would break through by now but it will happen.
Love the Jeff and Willock. Zelalem looks promising too.
Just need Ox to step aside and let talented players with football intelligence and skill rather than raw athleticism get minutes
No. Renato Sanchez won a big transfer to Bayern plus won the Euros with Portugal. Has to favourite. Iheanacho is going to be a top player, I think his lack of starts mind hinder him. Possibly top 5. I’d say Coman top 3 as he starts for France and Bayern. But there’s loads of talent there…don’t see enough of them. I don’t mind Iwobi going under the radar, we all know he’s a top talent. Winning that award brings pressure
I wonder how do the nominees from other European leagues compare?
Anyone but Alli. Twat.
If it was an English award he would win, but fortunately it’s not so others* have a chance
*must be Italian
I’m sorry, because I absolutely love Iwobi, but Kingsley Coman has this one in the bag.
I would have thought Donnarumma or Kingsley Coman to win this.
*awarded to the most famous footballer under the age of 21 playing in Europe
Just thought id help you out there guys.
Lots of good players. I think Iwobi have a chance like the Man City guy too. I wish him to keep performing well.
Can’t believe he wasn’t called up by England’s senior squad, shocking really. But then again the FA is a complete farce from top to bottom so maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised. England’s lose is Nigeria’s gain, looks like they have a really bright future!
Good luck to all of them (and yes, even Alli!)
He already plays for Nigeria, snubbed england from what I believe
Apologies loose cannon, I skimmed your comment
No worries and from I understand Iwobi was happy to play for England, having played for their junior teams. But he stopped getting called up after the U19s
Dodged a bullet there.
I’m just guessing because I don’t think any of us know him, but he was born in Lagos, I don’t think he ever would have played for England even if they had called him up when he was 15.
Its going to be one of Iwobi Iheanacho or Ousmane Dembele depending on form through the season..At the moment I am thinking Iwobi or Dembele as they are both regulars for their clubs
Flown under the radar as per usual. Who bought this kid for 80m +? Must be the Arsenal fans who obviously know better than Wenger. The same types who criticise the Ox. The same segment that now heaps praise on Walcott and say Alexis is an excellent striker they told Wenger to play up front and that Giroud will never get back into the squad. These same simple minded types who don’t mind giving their opinions but won’t take it from others. If you can’t take it from others don’t because most of these chaps have been proven wrong so… Read more »
See? That’s what I have been saying all a long. We know better than Wenger. Now bring back Bendtner.
So I assume Bellerin is too old for this now?
No bellerin? Bit harsh
This kid is incredible. He is a playmaker playing out wide but has the stamina and speed to play there. Paying out wide isnt just running with the ball like Chamberlain does but linking with forwards, drifting in and playmaking and creating havoc. we got an equal talent as leroy sane from our academy while City paid 37 mil. I have high hopes for this boy. What inttuiges me is he maes decisions that developed players fail to make. Let him go under the radar. he will be a superstar in a season or two If he continues like this.
Bellerin, iwobi, I never see them coming. They came quietly out of nowhere and Boom!! Hope The Jeff emulates.
It should be Renato Sanches , he was very good at the Euros. Some great players in that list. The most exciting ones play in the Bundesliga for me! Dahoud , Brandt, Dembele , Coman. Not worried about Iwobi , he will win more important trophies if he continues at this rate.
If Iwobi carries on what he’s been doing, I hope he nabs PFA Young Player award.
I am really disappointed by the management of Arseblog Inc lately. This once glorious bastion of all things Arsenal has been sold out to enemy agents from my analysis. Calling a member of those riffraff down the road by their accursed name and not “Sp*rs” or even their more appropriate name “shit” in a post leaves me the shaking my head. I demand a refund Arseblog Inc. A refund!
Moussa Dembélé is a bad man and has been doing bad man things at Celtic. I celebrated his goals vs city with a hearty cackle.
But that aside, I gotta say the emphasis on individual awards in a team game seems a bit pointless and self absorbed. The way guys like yaya and ronaldo care so much about some footballing equivalent of an MTV award is a bit sad. If you didn’t win it in a stadium in front of supporters who cares.
Iwobi plays good and exciting to watch v teams rashford to looks good
He absolutely deserves it. Now, if only he can stop wearing his socks like that…
I love how he wears his socks