Alex Iwobi has detailed the conversations that sealed his dramatic transfer deadline day move to Everton in 2019.
Having emigrated from Nigeria to London aged four, Iwobi spent 15 years at Arsenal, joining the Gunners as a schoolboy in 2004 and making 149 senior appearances, scoring 15 goals. The midfielder was away on a family holiday in Dubai when he made his switch to Everton for an initial £28million fee which could rise to £34million with potential add-ons.
Recalling how the deal came about, Iwobi, who has subsequently turned out 131 times for the Blues, netting on eight occasions, told Ian Wright on Behind the Game: “So it got to deadline day, I’m on a yacht with my family. Minimal signal, I don’t know how but all of a sudden, I’ve got signal.
“And my agent’s calling me saying, ‘ah, Everton want to push the move’. Marco Silva has called me himself, and he’s saying that, ‘ah, we really want you to come, we have a role for you’.
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“My dad’s like, ‘are you sure?’ I’m like, ‘you know what? I’m really up for this challenge like I’m ready to move and make a name for myself’.
“So literally, got off, told the driver of the boat you’re going to have to spin this, you have to get back as soon as possible. Eventually made it back to the hotel and signed the documents, just in time, but like it was a big decision.”
Alex Iwobi was talking to Ian Wright as part of Premier League and Budweiser’s new content series, Behind the Game. Following the premiere of each new episode on Monday evenings on Sky Sports. The full episode will be live on the Premier League’s YouTube channel at 9am on Wednesday.
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