Nigeria international midfielder Alex Iwobi has lifted the lid on his shock exit from Arsenal to Everton during the 2019 summer transfer window, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Iwobi who made the step up to the first team from the youth team under Arsene Wenger, was a regular in the previous season under new coach Unai Emery, making his exit from the coach more surprising to many.
He left for Everton in a deal reportedly worth around £40m. A move which the 29 year old who is now at fellow English Premier League side Fulham said was against his wish but feels he was being forced out after the signing of Nicholas Pepe for a club record fee of £72m from Lille.
“I was away at the Afcon. Had a good Afcon. I’ve come back. I’ve been told by Unai Emery you have got two weeks extra. I’ll go enjoy holidays. I’m in Dubai with my family having a good time. they signed Nicholas Pepe.
“Great player by the way, I don’t say anything bad about this great player, and I thought. Wait you want me so why did you sign another winger? I was like, what’s going on here?
” And my agent told me Everton are interested, I said, oh, that’s nice to hear. I’m in Dubai. My agent is calling me. I’m like, I can’t hear you what he said that, hey, he goes, Mark (Marco Silva) himself he tells me all right, Alex. We want you to join us (Everton). We think you suit our playing style. I appreciate, that’s nice to hear.
“Arsenal already signed my medical documents, so I didn’t even get a chance to say yes or no, awesome. Basically, saying we don’t mind you going? Maybe it’s time for me to step out my comfort zone, become a man, go somewhere different”, he stated in an interview monitored by our editorial team.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
