Arsenal star makes transfer revelation: I nearly joined West Ham Arsenal train ahead of EFL Cup clash with Reading

ARSENAL star Alex Iwobi has revealed he came close to joining West Ham.

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Alex Iwobi has revealed he nearly joined West Ham instead of Arsenal

Iwobi has earned a first-team spot at Arsenal this season after breaking into Arsene Wenger’s team last term.

The Nigeria international is currently keeping out likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lucas Perez, but couldn’t help Arsenal avoid falling to a 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough on Saturday.

But Iwobi, 20, has revealed how he could have been turning out for the Gunners’ London rivals West Ham if things had been different.

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Arsenal winger Iwobi played against West Ham in their 3-3 draw last season

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Iwobi (top left) has cemented his place in the Arsenal team this season

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.”

Iwobi is the nephew of ex-Bolton star Jay-Jay Okocha and was born in Nigeria before moving to England at the age of four.

The winger joined Arsenal while he was still at primary school along with team-mate Akpom, 21, but it was at youth team Rippleway where Iwobi was first spotted.

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Arsenal FC via Getty Images
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Arsenal have been training ahead ahead of their EFL Cup clash with Reading on Tuesday

“There were a lot of good players at my school, like my Arsenal team-mate Chuba Akpom,” Iwobi told Match of the Day magazine.

“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.”