Nigerian forward Alex Iwobi has admitted that he wold have to consider leaving Arsenal if the club signs Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Zaha from Crystal Palace.
Zaha is considered Unai Emery’s top target this summer but so far the Gunners have been unable to agree a deal with Palace.
The Eagles value the Ivorian international at £80million, and with Zaha carrying a five-year contract the club considers itself to hold the upper hand in negotiations.
Zaha has made it known that he wishes to play Champions League football, and is interested in joining Arsenal despite the Gunners competing in the Europa League next season.
The potential arrival of Zaha add to an already mouth-watering front line with Alexander Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
And Iwobi admits that his position in the team would come under increased threat.
“I am not one to chicken out,” Iwobi told the Sun. “I have had it all over the years, being told I’m not good enough
“So whenever the chance comes I always try and prove I should be starting. But it’s going to be difficult if Zaha comes. He will add more stress.
“I am up for the fight but the only time I would consider leaving is if I am not playing as much as I would like to.
“Obviously, my joy is to play football and not just sit out,” he continued.
“If it comes to that I would have no choice but to leave. But I would always put up a fight to play — that is what I have done all my life.
“We have big stars already, so by adding another one I’ll just have to prove I can do better than them.”
Palace rejected Arsenal’s opening offer for Zaha, a five-year structured payment of £40m.
Any deal for Zaha is complicated by the fact that they will need to pay Manchester United 25 per cent of any profit they make on the player.
This clause was included in the £6m deal that took Zaha back to Palace from Old Trafford in 2015.
