Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi has revealed that he had doubts regarding his ability to make it as a professional footballer when he was younger.

Iwobi is considered as one of the most promising young players in the current Arsenal squad and the 19-year-old made a positive impression when he was handed a chance to start in the 3-1 victory over Sunderland in the FA Cup earlier this month.

Given his undoubted talent, many now expect Iwobi to become a regular for the Arsenal first team in the coming years but the teenager has gone on to reveal that he doubted whether he was good enough to make the grade at a younger age.

Iwobi told Arsenal.com: "I had a few doubts when I was younger, especially when I was 13 to 14 years old. I was questioning whether I was good enough at that age as I… had to work on a few things. I didn't let it get to me but I stayed focused and try to prove to them why I should get another contract.

"It is very hard. You need to train well every day and you have to be in the boss' eye and his mind all the time so that is what I'm trying to do all the time. I was just hoping to go out and learn but to play for Arsenal's first team means so much [to me] because when I play I think about all I have done to get to where I am and I feel so happy to do it.

"I had a few chances like against Swansea where I came on and against Bayern Munich. I got to play 90 minutes against Sheffield Wednesday. I got a few chances and now I'm hoping to get some more. I don't know what to expect nowadays but playing at the Allianz Arena with the world's best players was just crazy.

"I'm taking it as it comes. You have to always be prepared as you never know when that chance will come."