The writing may be on the wall for Alex Iwobi after he was left out of Wednesday’s EFL Cup win over Salford City. It’s the second time in as many games that Carlo Ancelotti has omitted the 24-year-old from the matchday squad and the Mirror say we could move him on before the transfer window shuts.
Dropped without reason
Iwobi was a regular in the run-in last season (7/9 Premier League appearances) before being dropped to the bench for our penultimate game (1-0 win over Sheffield United) and then being left out of the squad entirely for our final outing (3-1 defeat to Bournemouth).
Nothing has changed this campaign either. Ancelotti didn’t include Iwobi in the squad for Sunday’s 1-0 win over Tottenham and left the Nigerian international out of our 3-0 victory in midweek too. Iwobi may be surplus to requirements just one year into his Everton stint.
The 24-year-old has made 29 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals with one assist, so he hasn’t set the place alight since his £27m move from Arsenal.
Stiff competition for places
Bernard was benched against Tottenham but started against Salford, Richarlison started against Tottenham but was benched against Salford, Theo Walcott was benched against Tottenham but started against Salford, Anthony Gordon was dropped against Tottenham but started against Salford and James Rodriguez started against Tottenham but was rested against Salford.
Iwobi is behind five players in the pecking order and doesn’t appear to be injured, so his future looks up in the air. If there’s no place for the wide-man in our squad, he should be moved on to get first-team football elsewhere. That could either be on loan or a permanent deal, but it’s hard to see a deal materialising before the summer transfer window closes on October 5.
Any interest?
We paid £27m for Iwobi last summer and would likely want that money back in full from his sale, but it remains to be seen if many clubs would be willing to match that valuation.
The 24-year-old earns £2.6m-a-year/£50k-a-week, so suitors would need to shell out more than £30m on a wide-man that contributed only three goals in 29 games last season.
It’s not going to happen.
In other news, Yannick Bolasie will leave Everton despite his efforts to stay 9am
Iwobi was left out of Salford’s match maybe he is going to be featured in coming game against West Brom.