Arsenal striker Alex Iwobi may not be able to feature at the 2016 Olympics for Nigeria if the Gunners have their way.
Having chosen to play for Nigeria rather than the English national team, Iwobi qualifies to represent the Super Eagles at the Olympics this year but his Premier League club is looking to block him from taking part in the tournament in Brazil.
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a positive breakthrough into the North London club’s first team this past season, and performed well in attack for the Gunners, who finished the season in second place.
Arsenal coach Arsène Wenger had in April suggested that he would let Iwobi play at Rio 2016 but Under-23 Nigerian coach Samson Siasia says that he is now going back on that promise.
The Olympic football tournament takes place in August, which means that Iwobi would miss the start of the Premier League season, if he was to travel to Brazil as a Nigerian international.
It remains to be seen whether Iwobi will be given permission to take part in the Olympics, or if the player’s country will take the matter to FIFA for consideration.