Alex Iwobi

Nigeria’s Super Eagles midfielder, Alex Iwobi has signed a five-year contract to join Everton Football Club from Arsenal for a fee of £40 million, making him the seventh signing of a busy summer for the Merseysiders.

The 23-year-old Iwobi joins the likes of striker Moise Kean, goalkeeper Jonas Lössl, right-back Djibril Sidibe, midfielders Andre Gomes, Fabian Delph and Jean-Philippe Gbamin in a new-look squad at Goodison Park. Despite their busy schedule throughout the transfer window, Everton’s manager, Marco Silva said Iwobi’s signing was one they had coveted all summer.

“Alex was one of our main targets for this window and I believe he is a fantastic signing for Everton. He is a direct and skillful winger and attacking midfielder who always works very hard for his team,” Silva said on the club’s official website. He added: “He is still young but already with a lot of top-level experience, 100 Premier League matches, more in Europe and many international games.

“It was important for me to have one more quality option for our attacking positions to add to what we have with Richarlison, Bernard and Theo Walcott.

“Alex fits exactly the profile of player I want in my model. He is hungry to join Everton and take the next step in his career, to help us compete with the strongest teams in the league and reach his potential at our club.”

Iwobi made 149 appearances for Arsenal’s senior team. His first coming was in 2015 when he was 19 and having just graduated from the academy in North London. He has also made 36 appearances for the Super Eagles, including their run to winning the bronze medal at the recently concluded African Cup of Nations in Egypt as well as in last summer’s World Cup in Russia.