Alex Iwobi has admitted that he might be forced to quit Arsenal if he loses his place to Wilfried Zaha.
The £80million-rated Crystal Palace winger is the Gunners’ No1 target before the transfer window shuts on August 8.
Iwobi warned: “I am not one to chicken out. I have had it all over the years, being told I’m not good enough.
“So whenever the chance comes I always try and prove I should be starting. But it’s going to be difficult if Zaha comes. He will add more stress.
“I am up for the fight but the only time I would consider leaving is if I am not playing as much as I would like to.
“Obviously, my joy is to play football and not just sit out.
“If it comes to that I would have no choice but to leave. But I would always put up a fight to play — that is what I have done all my life.
“We have big stars already, so by adding another one I’ll just have to prove I can do better than them.”
Boss Unai Emery expects to sign “three or four very expensive players” before the window shuts.
Ivory Coast winger Zaha, 26, has told Palace he wants to join Arsenal — who are also linked with two more wingers in Barcelona star Malcom and Brazil’s Copa America winner Everton Soares.
Emery has also increased competition for places by promoting 19-year-old Reiss Nelson to his first team squad after last season’s loan spell at Hoffenheim.
Iwobi is no stranger to overcoming adversity, however, after being told he would never make it in the Arsenal academy.
Speaking at the African Nations Cup, where Iwobi helped Nigeria finish third, he declared: “I was still at school when I was hearing that.
“Maybe you think: ‘Football is not for you and you don’t want to play no more.’ But it’s good to have that self-motivation to believe that you can prove your critics wrong.
“I am here today, so it didn’t affect me. Whenever someone tells me something negative I will just ignore it and try and prove to them that I am better than they think.”
Iwobi also had to endure jibes from a minority of Gunners fans who moan he fails to produce his international form for his club.
He added: “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I respect that and I am not one to retaliate.
“But I do play in a different position for Nigeria, as an attacking midfielder with a sense of freedom. I am more comfortable playing there.
“However, if I am told to play on the left or the right, or left-back — like I have sometimes — I will always do my best.”
Arsenal finished fifth last season, a whopping 28 points behind champions Manchester City and 27 adrift of runners-up Liverpool.
But Iwobi added: “We went unbeaten for 22 games in all competitions last season and it’s that level of consistency we need.
“If you can be consistent throughout the season you will do well. That’s the mental challenge we have this season.”
