Fulham announced the signing of Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi in a deal that could reach £22m on transfer deadline day.
The 27-year-old Nigeria midfielder joined Everton from Arsenal in the summer of 2019 and made 123 league appearances for the Toffees, scoring six times. He has signed a five-year deal with the Cottagers to link up with his old Everton boss Marco Silva and his Super Eagles teammate Calvin Bassey, who signed for the London side from Ajax this summer.
“The club is delighted to announce the signing of Alex Iwobi from Everton for an undisclosed fee,” read part of a statement on the club’s official website, adding: “Iwobi has agreed a contract until the summer of 2028.”
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Speaking to FFCtv, the 27-year-old explained his reason for ditching Everton for Fulham by saying: “I’m buzzing, I just can’t wait to get started, I’m excited to start my journey here,” adding: “Marco Silva spoke to me about the ambitions of the Club, and I’m on board. Hopefully, I can bring something to the club.”
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Iwobi moved to England at a young age and was picked up by Arsenal as a six-year-old. After moving up through the age groups, Iwobi was handed a first-team debut in the League Cup by Arsene Wenger at the beginning of the 2015-16 season, with a Premier League bow following four days later in a 3-0 win at Swansea City.
While in North London, Iwobi had built a reputation as an exciting, technically gifted player who can perform in a variety of attacking midfield roles, with his performances prompting Marco Silva to bring him to Everton in a deal worth £35m. During a difficult few years for the Toffees, Iwobi’s displays were one of the positives, particularly last season when his 10-goal involvements helped the club avoid relegation, and also saw him named Players’ Player of the Season.
The nephew of Nigeria icon Jay-Jay Okocha, Iwobi made his debut for the Super Eagles in 2015 and featured in all three of their matches at the 2018 World Cup. He now has 63 caps for his national side and has scored 10 goals in that time.