Alex Iwobi breaks his silence on Everton’s departure to Fulham – ‘There are things I’m not allowed to say,’ says Alex Iwobi, who left Everton after the supporters “warmed” to him, but believes it was the “best solution.”
The now-Fulham midfielder told The Athletic (2 October) that his departure was a mutual decision between himself and the club because he “needed a new challenge,” but that he “left on good terms,” despite the fact that there are aspects of his leaving that he’s “not allowed to say.”
The 27-year-old had long been expected to sign a new contract at Goodison Park, but a deal was struck on deadline day (1 September) to send him to Craven Cottage after it became clear that he would not be extending his contract, with a fee of up to £22 million [Daily Mail, 2 September] likely key to the cash-strapped Toffees.
“It wasn’t an easy decision (to leave),” Iwobi stated of his departure. I had a good time there. Especially in the previous few years. They seemed to warm to me. At the same time, I felt I needed a new challenge, and Fulham are providing me with the opportunity to do so.”
“There was a lot of talk behind closed doors — there are things that I’m not allowed to say — but I feel like it was a decision from the club and from me that the best solution was to leave,” he says of the team’s financial troubles. “I wish them well; I have a lot of respect for them and we parted on good terms.”
Disappointing conclusion
Given that putative new owners 777 Partners have previously had to issue a loan to the club for day-to-day operations [Athletic, 18 September], and are likely to do so again, the financial position must have played a part.
With a takeover looming and all sorts of drama at Goodison Park, it’s probably not surprising that Iwobi can’t go into detail, and it’s also not surprising that he might have wanted to rejoin with Marco Silva at Fulham.
However, this is not how fans expected his stint at the club to end when, just a year ago, he was hailed as the star of Frank Lampard’s team.
At the time, new contracts for him, Anthony Gordon, and Jordan Pickford were all in the works, but only one of them is still at the club, with the winger moved to Newcastle in January.
After being deployed back out wide by Sean Dyche, Iwobi’s influence had waned, and his important role has been relatively well supplied by Abdoulaye Doucouré.
Attacking possibilities were signed this summer, albeit the financial outlay has been substantially delayed, since nothing will be spent on Beto or Youssef Chermiti until the following fiscal year [Athletic, 5 September], but the departures of Iwobi and Demarai Gray hampered things.
The fact that the situation surrounding Iwobi, the manager he thrived under, key teammates, and the ownership have all changed so much in such a short period of time demonstrates how desperately the club needs a sustainable long-term solution.
In other Everton transfer window news, an incoming deal has also been cautious to speak about the spectacular maneuver that brought him to the club.
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