Alex Iwobi: Everyone wanted me to leave Everton

By Olu Dare

Alex Iwobi has disclosed how he was pushed out of Everton in January after falling out of favour under former coach Rafael Benitez.

The Nigerian was deemed surplus to requirements after failing to impress the former Liverpool and Newcastle coach during his short stint at Goodison Park last season, and the club was ready to offload him in the January transfer window.

Nevertheless, he stayed put and has become a key player under Benitez’s successor Frank Lampard who has given him a new role in midfield.

“I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but I would play football with my friends, especially when I wasn’t in the team,” Iwobi told I News.

“Little games, maybe twice a week, just to enjoy it. I never lost my love for football, even though I saw all the negativity.

“It felt like everyone wanted me to go. They said, ‘If you want to play football, you would be better off on loan’.

“It was like, ‘You are not in our plans, try to prove yourself elsewhere’. I said I would rather take my chances and stay. I felt I had something to give and wanted to show my ability.

“The supporters were probably thinking, ‘We are better off getting someone who can do the job’. I was told in the past I wasn’t good enough. When I hear that it motivates me to try to prove my point.”

He also wants to take his game to the next level and influence proceedings on the pitch like some of the Premier League’s best midfielders.

“I look at players like Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva and what they do for Manchester City. That is what I would like to contribute,” he continued.

“I don’t just want an assist or goal every five or 10 games. I always want to get on the ball and feel I can influence games. I don’t have to keep it simple.”