"He's too cold" - Alex Iwobi names Arsenal star would have been 2025 Ballon d'Or contender if not for setback this season

Former Arsenal star Alex Iwobi has claimed that Bukayo Saka might have been a Ballon d’Or contender if not for his injury setback this term. The Fulham midfielder also leveraged the opportunity to laud Saka for his immense performance and development thus far.

In a discussion via Inside Scoop, Iwobi spoke about his former Gunners teammate. He said (via Arsenal Insider):

"One thing about him, it’s not just that there’s a player in there, but he’s actually humble. He’s willing to learn and that’s what I think got him ahead of others. He’s always listening, so I think that’s really what’s helped him. I think if he didn’t get injured, he’d potentially be a Ballon d’Or nominee. I think the sky is the limit, man. He’s too cold."

While his fitness was a source of concern, Saka was one of the Gunners' standout attackers this term. However, a detailed calculation indicates that he missed 23 games due to multiple injuries this season.

Saka suffered a brief muscle problem and then a mild thigh injury before sustaining a prolonged hamstring injury this term. Meanwhile, despite his lengthy outing on the sidelines, he has contributed 12 goals and 14 assists in 36 games.

If Arsenal had excelled in the Premier League and the UCL, Saka's chances of winning the Ballon d’Or would have heightened. However, at age 23, the Englishman is still in a good position to win the award in the foreseeable future.

"It was mad" - Alex Iwobi on his exit from Arsenal

Fulham FC v Everton FC - Premier League - Source: Getty

Alex Iwobi also revealed that his exit from the Emirates in August 2019 was unexpected. However, he claimed that he was told that the Gunners needed to sell a player to raise the club's profit after Nicolas Pepe's £72 million signing.

In the same interview with Inside Scoop, Iwobi said (via Arsenal Insider):

"On the day, I’m going on a yacht with my family, where I’m going to lose signal, my agents call and say, ‘Everton are going to make a bid, what do you think?’. I said, it’s nice that I’m wanted. On the yacht now, I’m losing connection, they said that the Everton manager, Marco Silva, at the time wanted to call you. He’s speaking to me, he wanted me in his plans, to be the number ten, to be the main player, so I called my agent."

He added:

“It’s nice to know they want me, what do you think?’ I [said], I don’t know, I’m 50/50, then my agent said, ‘Alex, Arsenal have already handed in the medical’, they might want you gone because they need to sell someone. It was mad, I was like, Arsenal want to let go of me, I guess it’s time for a new challenge.”

In his stint in the Gunners senior team, Iwobi delivered 15 goals and 23 assists in 149 appearances.