Arsene Wenger believes Alex Iwobi is reaping benefits of being a teamplayer

Britain Soccer Football - Arsenal v FC Basel - UEFA Champions League Group Stage - Group A - Emirates Stadium, London, England - 28/9/16 Arsenal's Alex Iwobi in action with FC Basel's Luca Zuffi Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Couldridge Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY.

Arsene Wenger believes his latest youth prospect Alex Iwobi is reaping the benefits of being a teamplayer since his promotion to the first team at Arsenal.

In an exclusive interview with Standard Sport on Wednesday Iwobi revealed the struggles he went through at the Emirates.

The young chap was almost released at 14 and then 16, before finally making the grade in the Arsenal youth side.

According to Evening Standard, over the past year Iwobi has negotiated the difficult rise to the first team with maturity, shining on his first Champions League start against Barcelona in the Camp Nou and overhauling the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to earn a place in Wenger’s strongest XI.

Saturday’s 3-0 win over Chelsea may just have been the peak of Iwobi’s remarkable rise, the 20-year-old winning the man of the match award ahead of goalscorers Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez. And it was the Nigerian star that Wenger reserved particular praise for in his programme notes ahead of Wednesday’s clash with FC Basel.

Arsene Wenger indicated that Iwobi doesn’t talk a lot and he’s not a flashy player. “He connects with the team, and that’s why I think he’s integrated so quickly,” said Wenger.