Iwobi makes Arsenal 25-man squad for Australia

Super Eagles midfi elder Alex Iwobi, late Sunday night, was one of the 25 Arsenal players confi rmed by the club for Monday’s trip to Australia for their pre-season programme. Iwobi was in the team also for the Gunners’ pre season trip to the Asia last year. Th ere was no place for Nigerian-born England youth international Chuba Akpom in the latest trip, a development that suggests that the youngster who has tasted most of his senior Arsenal career as a loanee outside is on his way out again this summer . Also missing from the side, apparently earmarked for either summer sales or loan deals include Wojciech Szeczesny, Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson and Lucas Perez. Shokdran Mustafi , Rob Holding, Alexis Sanchez and Calum Chambers were granted extended holidays after their exertions at international competitions this summer while Santi Cazorla, Gabriel Paulista, Rene Jeff Adelaide and Jack Wilshire are recuperating from injuries. Th e squad will later travel to China, where they will play Bayern Munich in Shanghai on Wednesday, July 19, before heading to Beijing where they will play Chelsea in the Bird’s Nest Stadium on Saturday, July 22. Th e China games are in the International Champions Cup, the pre season football tournament held across three venues in the Asia, Australia and USA.