Fulham lead chase for Iwobi

Barry,

I have been waiting for some club, any club, to come in for Iwobi with Everton being interested in a few wingers during this window and signing two, both on loan.

Without discussing the merits of Iwobi as a player the fact is he is on ridiculous wages and can go for nothing at the end of this season so it makes sense for the club to get something for him now, a transfer fee or a swap, anything that improves the club, financially or squad strength,

I would love this to happen but fear his wages could halt any move.

Looks like Iwobi is off to Fulham!!!

We can't afford to lose both Iwobi and Gray, they're 2 of our most creative players

Iwobi, Maupay and Gray going would free up some funds to get other targets in. Sulemana looks to be a target, maybe more funds for Gnonto?

Gana has become wasteful and outpaced in midfield, I would look to replace him and maybe another surprise forward and a centre-back?

I understand people don’t like Iwobi but he had 8 assists last year for us and when he was in cm for a long period only Kevin de Bruyne was ahead of him for chances created. He’d be a huge loss considering the lack of creators we have in centre-midfield.

Obviously not going to sign a contract due to his wages but if he does go we 100% need a replacement. 8 assists is a lot of output lost despite him being frustrating.

Seems like other clubs are also interested in Iwobi so looks very likely he will be gone, along with Gray. I don't feel we need to replace them directly as Dyche has seen Iwobi as a wide player and with Danjuma, Harrison, McNeil and Dobbin (Dyche seems to see him as a winger).

Where we are short is a Number 10, we have never replaced James or Sigurdsson, so that would be the one place I would look to fill if we can get one more in.

Mick 320, indeed. Iwobi and Gray make lovely circular patterns which usually end up going nowhere.

Both of them are talented but selfish, brain-dead and generally wasteful in the final third of the pitch. That is, despite scoring the occasional worldy.

I see Alan Myers is saying he understands that as well as Fulham 2 other clubs are interested in Iwobi, one is a Premier League club and the other is from abroad. So highly likely he will be gone and not run down his contract.

Maybe the powers that be are at long last letting the professionals make the footballing decisions, well I hope so.

Iwobi is in the last 12 months of his contract.

If we could get nice money and then sign a midfielder, it would be the best option, better than a free transfer next summer.

Alex- the 8 assists sounds impressive but remember that an "assist" only means that he touched the ball last before someone scored. I could be in goal and give the ball to Messi, who dribbles round everyone and nutmegs the keeper... my assist.

What I see is a guy who lacks a football brain, who takes too long to decide what to do, and a feller who just lacks bite.

Whever he goes, he's going to be just like Gray (who has more skills). Both of them are below average PL players.

Alex.

I don't normally like quoting stats as they can sometimes be misleading with regard to a players overall contribution "but" according to the official EPL stats Onana is joint second in the league in big chances created with three and Jimmy Garner is joint sixth with two.

I mention big chances created as we have no assists because we aint effing scored but If we'd have had a forward with two legs and two working eyes those chances created could well have been assists.

That'd be five in three games between two of our midfield players against Iwobi's eight for a whole season.

The point I'm trying, in a Ronnie Corbett fashion, to make is that Iwobi's replaceable. In fact, ask Dave Abrahams and he'd say he's replaceable with a traffic cone. And the traffic cone is handy for other things as well.

I'd tell Fulham, and whoever else is interested, he's available for £XM.

Put up or shut up!

I would rather we kept both Gray and Iwobi as their depature would leave us even weaker in squad size.

The transfer window closes in three days and due to the speed it is taking to close deals it would be about October before we signed their replacements.

They need to stay or we do the the unprobable and sell today and buy tomorrow

Iwobi’s creativity is overrated in Dyche’s system. He should have been attacking the goal on several diagonal balls to him. His lack of ambition up front is a problem for us. He needs to go where he can set other players up. It could be good for both clubs.

We will get 8 assists from Harrison and Garner, Alex.

Iwobi is no big loss. He is another who gives us 5 good games a season.

Possible that Iwobi, Maupay and Gray may exit before the deadline.

We need a winger, creative midfielder, centre back and full back so a lot to do.

He's injured now so probably out for a month. He is likely to miss about a month in January for the African Nations Cup also. So even if he stays we'd need other creative options.

But I'd say if we can get some money for him before his contract expires then do it. Yes, I'd sooner get rid of Gbamin and Gomes but it seems as if we are stuck with them.

If he won't sign a contract (and I don't like being held to ransom) he should go.

To be honest, I don't think he gets in the first team when everyone is fit anyway. Doesn't score enough to be part of an attacking three, isn't brave enough to play in a three in the midfield, and we all know he's not a winger.

I'll take him there myself. His lack of goals for an attacking midfield player is alarming.

He had a little 6- or 7-game spell at the start of last season – other than that, he's been bang average or poor in my opinion… and that's being kind.

As Alex Gray rightly said, Alex Iwobi is our most creative player, and by some margin too. Iwobi would be more creative still if he were played centrally in his best position, and yet more creative again if he had forwards ahead of him with more desire, pace and intelligent movement.

James Garner is another player who needs to be played centrally. Alex Iwobi and James Garner are our best players. Sadly we play anti-football, the movement off the ball at Villa was an absolute disgrace, that has to be on Sean Dyche.

Iwobi will never fit in under Dyche, he plays Arsenal football but in a blue shirt and we cannot play football, we struggle to string three passes together.

Thoughts and prayers with Fulham

Has anybody checked on Colin Glasser?

Iwobi has yet to sign a contract so it's sell now or lose for free in June.

This deal might be something to get mildly excited about. Silva was here when we signed Iwobi and Fulham are announcing ‘advanced talks’ on their official site. I don’t think I care about time to find a replacement, work out terms with Fulham please. A decent Willian replacement for them, a London residence for him, it all looks like an attractive move.

Seems that common sense is finally prevailing and that Thelwell is actually running football operations. With that in mind, I think you have to take the money for Iwobi now. We’ve lost so many of the free spending era on free transfers and are dealing with the financial consequences now. Selling players at the right time is massively important and this is the right time for Iwobi if he won’t sign a new contract. I like him and his flexibility but Dyche doesn’t seem to like him centrally and we should be able to replace him with a more natural winger.

It’s staggering when you start thinking about the amount of players signed for 20m plus that left for nothing. Bolasie, Mina, Walcott, Tosun, Sigurdsson and add in Gomes & Gbamin that will likely leave for free too! I’m sure there’s some that I’ve forgotten too.

I think Iwobi and Bolasie cost the same as they paid for Mane and Salah…therein lies the problem.

Hopefully. He's been a willing runner, but loses the ball to often, misplaces passes and doesn't score anywhere near enough.If he wants to go we should sell him

it's a shame we have never really utilised him in the no10 role, would have liked to see him line up centrally with Inana and Garner behind him, with 2 wingers and Beto/DCL.

But, if we can get 10-15 million, in FFP terms it means we make a profit on him and maybe free up space for a player who Ultimately has more end product.

Never been played in a 10, which I think is his best position. Very skillful and good work rate.

But, doesn't score enough and for me lacks pace to be a top player. Not worth the wages he's chasing, and isn't a champions league player in my view.

Sell and move on.

I would be sad to see him go but pleased my club is getting some money back, hopefully to reinvest. If we can replace him with Wharton from Blackburn and perhaps a winger (Sulemana?) on loan then that represents an excellent window.

Bigger question is what is he worth in the current market? Was is he worth to us to stay this season? I think if we can get anywhere near £10M then its a got to be reinvested and send him on with our blessings.

I respect Iwobi alot, especially for the way he won over many fans who had given him dogs abuse for years.

About Onana, it might be "first season" getting used to the intesity and speed of the Prem. But he looks half arsed most of the time to me, flitting in and out of games. and I'd like to see someone like Peter Reid come to us from some sort of guardian angel...or anywhere!

Good point Mike Price (16)

So far on this thread I'm in agreement, and if the price is £15-18M, or more then sell him.

For me an enigma, a 1:8 good game player over a season.

Crazy wages, AFCON, in January, so it makes good business sense to sell.

Iwobi could be one of the better players in the Premier League, but in order to be effective, he has to be 100% switched on and playing full-throttle, that means he makes mistakes as he can't put his foot on the ball and dictate the pace of a game.

Gomes and Iwobi are players with different qualities but even if you took the best of both, you'd still be struggling to form a good overall Premier League player. The one good thing about Iwobi in the last year or so, is that he does try and he doesn't hide, which is okay for a decent team, but not in one that has struggled to control matches.

If he goes and is replaced by somebody better then that's the name of the game, if he stays until his contract runs out, he will be a more than useful squad member, but not a first-team regular, not for me anyway.

"Iwobi will never fit in under Dyche, he plays Arsenal football."

I'm sorry but that has to be one of the funniest sentences ever on ToffeeWeb. IMHO of course.

Without knowing how serious his hamstring tear is do we know how long he might be unavailable?

I'm surprised that players with injuries that might keep them out for 6 weeks or more would be signed but I suppose that is the point of medicals. Hips and hamstrings, eh.

This looks likely. Always liked him and he was a worker. Good luck to him.

Alex Iwobi, a modern day Gary Jones for those with long memories.

To me he’s a slight improvement on Barkley when we’re in possession, and, like him, more or less deliberately useless when we’re not.

Ta-ra lad, but we need players with balls, heart and passion given the cesspit our “leaders” have long since reduced us to.

He' far from our worst player but I agree with others, Dyche wastes whatever he can off when he plays him wide and we need to get whatever we can before his contract expires, plus it gets his very big wage off the books.

We are in a poor negotiating position with him. Hopefully he has a strong desire to return to London so at least there are incentives there for him to go.

As for Gbamin, how on earth can we be paying his wages when he has said he won't play for us. We should be suing him for breach on contract. It's been done before...

Holy Shit, apparently Fulham also getting Lucas Ocampos for £13m! That’s surely got to be a hijack if we still want a winger to replace Gray…..

Sell Iwobi and Gray and see if Chelsea would lend us Connor Gallagher. He’d be the creative midfield player we are missing.

What about his assists for Leicester in that 2-2 draw last season? he also got his very rare goal for us that night to get him out of jail, for an attacking midfielder his goal output is one of the reasons we are in such a mess.

Gueye, Garner, Onana and Iwobi have little or no goals amongst them.

The Brighton demolition.

Although Calvert-Lewin's twist around Dunk to set up Doucouré was great, look at the pass from Iwobi in the build up.

Likewise his splitting pass for the McNeil tap-in.

I know he's not everyone's favourite and he makes mistakes, but he's always trying to create something.

Right now, I'd rather keep. But I say that about Demarai Gray.

Andrew 22, I'm out of candles but I'm praying like mad for this to happen.

He's in my top 10 of the worst Everton players I've ever seen and I've seen a few.

Harsh, Colin. Did you watch Ian Wilson? And some of those in the 90s?

Saying that, it looks like the club is doing business.

What we need is change. Refreshing the playing squad is welcome, but change at the top still needed?

Danny, I saw John McCloughlin play in the early '70s (I still have nightmares about him).

So yes, I've seen a few stiffs play for Everton. I'd put Iwobi in that group with the likes of Nyarko, Angell, Stracqualursi etc…

Colin, I'm with Danny, that's very harsh. I think one of the problems us fans have is he cost a fortune, but that's nothing to do with Alex (that's what Everton do: overpay).

Yes, I agree he hasn't turned into the footballer many expected him to be, even at Arsenal. I can certainly think of many Everton players in my time way below his standard.

Iwobi is an athlete, not a footballer.

If he couldn't run all day, he wouldn't get in the Laundry A team imo.

Makes sense to try and get a fee for him, rather than adding him to the rather shocking list of high-priced signings who ultimately left for nothing.

The worst-case scenario, obviously, is selling him but not having adequate time to use the money on further reinforcements. This being the last week of the transfer window, the margin for error is getting extremely thin.

I really don't care how many assists an outfield player has during a season. If a midfielder doesn't score a handful of goals, I wouldn't mind selling him to the highest bidder.

Having said that, I'd only sell him if we have a better replacement lined up. If not, do not sell him!

The players themselves voted Alex Iwobi as their 'Players Player of the Season' only very recently so clearly the players themselves as a collective do not know their arses from their elbows, and Colin Glasser must be right!

Alex Iwobi, one of the top ten worst Everton players, are you serious, Colin? The lad has been consistently played out of position throughout his Everton career, hardly his fault.

I accept that Dyche is currently the manager and will not play Iwobi in his best position centrally so it is best for all that he moves on. Alex Iwobi is not wired to throw in pointless high balls to a small centre-forward playing up top on his own, from wide positions on the field, as our current manager seemingly dictates and has set us up to do.

Apologies Colin, I did misspell your name on that last post, I know you will miss Alex when he goes though!

“Assists” is one of the most meaningless stats available, at least it is when taken in complete isolation from what we see at the match.

Long gone are the days when you “set someone up” for a goal. For example, amongst Iwobi's eight last season are a penalty, a square ball to Calvert-Lewin outside the box with players in front, and most ridiculously Seamus and his wonder goal.

Not particularly knocking Iwobi but happy if we can get some cash for him. He's no Dave Thomas.

Up until the last few years, he's been absolute dogshit. He turned that around under Lampard and I was very happy to eat up my criticism of him.

But there's still the nagging feeling that there's a lot more to come, but it never seems to happen. He still looks like someone who's embarrassed to be on the pitch, he looks like he's won a competition to play.

His crossing is quite possibly the worst I've seen for years, and with the shite we've had that's saying something. He can't sweep a ball in to save his life, they always chipped to the back post where the keeper just laps them up.

And I still can't forgive him for bottling out of the penalty shootout in the League Cup a few seasons back, letting the likes of Jonjoe Kenny step up before him.

So if we get a bit of wedge now, I'd be happy to see him go, I think Dwight, Danjuma & Harrison can provide better options.

Well, the latest word is that the move has collapsed. So chill out everyone.

Yet another expensive purchase by people who don't know the difference between a talented player and an effective one.

I was resigned to him leaving for free in the summer. If we can get a fee for him, that'll be good business.

Until his move into central midfield by Lampard, I thought Iwobi to be a total waste of time and money.

He proved me wrong and deserved his place in the team. The goal v Newcastle will stay with me for a long time.

The player and agent holds the cards and, if he moves on, so be it. I would rather keep him and Gray until we buy better. As it stands, we haven't got better players, so I wouldn't sell.

“Everton would seek in excess of £20 million for Alex Iwobi if he was to leave this window. @TimesSport”

Give Kevin Thelwell an OBE, CBE and a couple of Knighthoods if he can get that. £10Mm and I would get the banjo out for a singsong (and that's not a euphemism).

A daft signing at the time, since we needed a left-footed right winger. A daft fee for an unremarkable player.

Not as bad as made out, certainly no worse that the generally fairly crap due of Gueye and Doucoure. In the decent side that Thelwell and Dyche have now assembled (when everyone is fit) he might even look pretty good.

But he's always looked destined to end up at a club like Fulham.

I wonder if Borges, the Porto winger / attacker is lined up as his replacement on loan (or maybe a Chermiti-style low fee and instalments). That might be a good outcome.

Would be ironic if we sold Iwobi just after finally buying a striker who might finish the chances he creates.

He's comfortably the best playmaker in our team and would have a whole load more assists if we had players who could finish. He works hard, always looks for the ball and plays the ball forward more than anyone in the team. When people describe him as one of the worst players in recent times I honestly have no idea what they're watching!!

Having said that if anyone will give us £15-20M for a player who we've invested a lot in and will leave for free then we should take it. He's not a fit with Dyche's tactics and belongs in a team that wants possession. We need to be clever sellers as well as buyers.

I'd love us to sell Gray and bring in Bakayoko, Sulemana, or Gnonto in before deadline, so Iwobi could be played in midfield. However, if he's not going to sign a new deal, we need to sell him and ask for at least £15M.

On a side note, I think £28M fee we paid on Iwobi (he was never going to cost £35M) doesn't seem as crazy now as it did in 2019, now £20M is the going rate for any half-decent player.

Consistently played out of position but my Nans got a better footballing brain than Alex Iwobi and she's been dead 20 years.

If we can get rid and get a fee I'd back that decision all day long. Headless chicken.

Kevin 46, Iwobi is our version of Forrest Gump.

Graham 50, no probs with the surname. It has many versions.

I still think Iwobi is crap and is unable to play football, full stop.

He's useless, a waste of space footballer. I'd be thrilled just to get him off the wage bill with no fee whatsoever.

I agree with many others on here and think he's one of the worst most ineffective players I've ever seen at Everton.

He is not signing a new contract because he wants £120k a week, which he is not even worth half of it IMO.

Good luck to him with that if he wants to sign for The Cottagers.

At least when he comes back to Goodison Park with his new team, Iwobi will at last find an Everton player with a pass.

We have McNeil, Harrison, Danjuma and Dobbin to fill the wide roles.

Not Iwobi's fault he cost £37.5M but he's one of our worst purchases for that money.

He's a good instinctive player but, once he has time on the ball, he doesn't know what to do with it.

Saying that Iwobi is our best playmaker is a bit like saying that Maupay is our best player called Neal.

He certainly has skill, his work rate can't be faulted, and yes he should be played through the middle not out wide... but my God, is he frustrating!

Poor passer, terrible crosser, rarely scores – so many of our attacks break down through him.

He seems like a decent guy, and I hate criticising a player who works that hard, but I just don't accept that any 'assist' stats reflect what I see with my own eyes every week – an attacking midfielder who is average in attack.

I like Iwobi but his time is up.

But heeding the advice of some Arsenal fans who are diehard H & A fans said the day we signed him, Everton were mugged. But you allow time to settle and prove.

Actions speak louder than words and for me this season and overall he is a 1-in-8 good game player, which is not acceptable for any Everton player.

Alex Iwobi on his day is a great player but it doesn't happen enough for such a key part of the team..

For that reason, I would sanction a sale if the price of £15- 18M is accepted by Fulham or a team from the Saudi League.

It makes sense in view of the players contract status, his wages and his commitment to Everton. On the park, he is not a Lion, more of a skilfull Gazelle.

But not reliable and not consistent.

UTFTs!!

Sam, a great point and the blend could may or could happen with Beto and Danjuma and all.

I sense the move away is fluid but, if he stays, then Everton could get close to being a consistent attacking team.

I'm wary why he hasn't committed to Everton so for me he wants out but he's pressing the buttons, the ransom button?

Everton, won't be taken in by any such demand or proposal. Kevin Thelwell is not a soft slug and is learning business the tough way.

Alas but this could be a big part of Everton getting street-wise, and no more “puddles”, but “skilfull fighting puddles and hopefully warriors” for the EFC cause.

Alex Iwobi has made his choice.

“UTFTs!”

If we can sell Iwobi for 50p on a Pound, that'll be a cool £‎16 Million to be used on re-investing (despite a heavy loss to be shown on the books).

Bundle that with the £‎10 Million+ that we are going to get for Gray, that is a good enough sum to bring in someone who can make an immediate impact! (Sulemana from Southampton, perhaps?)

#ThelwellBrigade continues to invite new membership applications!

For those crosses that he put into far post (no man's land when we played), they would be tapped in for fun by other teams.

Looking at the highlights of Villa against Burnley. Their first goal, if it's us there will be no one to meet that cross by Watkins.

I wouldn't let him go. Although he is sometimes frustrating, he really tries hard and makes passes (the good ones) very few players in our squad do. The argument Dyche doesn't put him in his favourite position might be true, but what guarantee do we have Dyche will still be the manager come October? It's hard to accept it but anything may happen at EFC.

In terms of club economy, it might be sound intelligent to sell him but, above all, I think our team needs players who can find a clever pass, or get an assist. If he leaves, apart from being sad for me, it would just leave McNeil in that role of the creative spark. And for me that's too much responsibility on just one player. We would be way too predictable.

I prefer keeping paying high wages and keeping a reliable player (he has been our most regular footballer last season for sure, or top 3) for a difficult season than leaving that to so many new players that need time to gel up.

The only way I would let him leave is if Everton bring someone good in his role. But come on, this is Everton.

Dupont #70, when you sell a player for half of what you paid for him it doesn't mean it shows as a loss in the books. Look at Robinho at City, bought for £32 million, sold for £18 million and the books showed they made £16 million profit on his sale.

The wonders of amortisation!!

Harry Kane wasn't going to sign for Bayern Munich because he held all the aces, just like Iwobi holds all the aces now.

If he goes he's going to want at least 33% of whatever transfer fee Everton receive, imo, otherwise he will make himself double this next summer.

Hopefully he wants to get back to London, and is just taking the piss asking for incredible wages from the club that have already made him extremely rich. We will see, but I genuinely won't miss seeing him constantly running 50/60 yards because he wasn't prepared to put an initial tackle in, when the ball was there to be won. We all see different things in different players.

Stuart @67, it's really not.

Iwobi is actually one of the better playmakers in the league from open play (at least in terms of chance creation).

For some reason (possibly his cost and wages), people don't see a lot of the good work he does but, as this chart below shows, he created more chances from open play than any player in the league last season outside the Top 7 (he also ranks fairly high if Top 7 is included).

Link

He has his limitations for sure (should be getting more goals for a start) but to say he can't pass the ball is just factually wrong.

For me, he falls into that category of English player that was hyped up as the next best thing but never lived up to it and won't.

Walcott, Oxade-Chamberlain spring to mind. Our own Rodwell and Barkley.

For me, Iwobi grew on me over the seasons, but I guess that may be down to what we were seeing.

I've often said, I think he confuses himself as much as he confuses his own and opposition players. He does try to make things happen though. On the ball he's good. Off the ball, frustrating. An unpredictable player.

I always used to coach, what you do off the ball is more important. Maybe that's me. We all have different views of the game.

An unpredictable player. He's no tin of baked beans. You don't know what you're going to get when you open the can.

I doubt he's a Dyche player, so I can see him moving, especially back to London.

We had a phrase in our house - a five past three player.

You picked him for the team and then five minutes into the game you knew either he was going to play a blinder, run the game and you won – or he was having one of those days and you may as well be playing with 10 men.

I’d drop him myself. Flatters to deceive big time.

When things aren't going well, it's never a bad idea to look at the first name on the team sheet an evaluate their contribution. Think Joe Hart at Burnley; he was dropped at Christmas a few seasons back and their form turned almost immediately.

Iwobi is among the first names on our team sheet, and is effectively our playmaker. On that basis I'd be reluctant to let him go. On the other hand, there's every chance that the rest of his game is costing us as much as or more than he contributes.

Same as with Gray; we know these lads will have us in a relegation scrap. Let's take a chance on some fresh faces.

Graham @50, I wouldn't be surprised if our players didn't know their arses from their elbows.

We probably need to sell him to financially claw anything back, same goes for Gray.

We couldn't afford to keep Mina or match the aspirations of Gordon and Richarleson.

We have replaced them with Maupay, Danjuma (loan) Tarkowski (90k a week) Harrison (loan injured) McNeil (injured)

Watering down whatever little quality we have isn't a recipe for success.

We have had 2 close calls in the previous 2 seasons. It doesn't take a genius to work out that we will struggle again this year.

There wil be a queue of fans wanting to 'drive the players themselves' if we go this year.

Sam #75,

Interesting stats, but they still don't convince me. I mean, what counts as a chance anyway – putting a ball into an area where there's nobody to convert?

I didn't say that he can't pass a ball, I said he was a poor passer. And I stand by that – for a Premier League attacking midfielder, he gives the ball away regularly.

I like the guy, especially his attitude, but I believe that improving our goal return requires a major upgrade on our 'main playmaker' – someone who scores and assists regularly. Iwobi is (marginally) the best of a bad bunch.

And although it's a daft sample of 1, on Saturday, we still created a similar number of chances and half-chances without him. He just isn't a standout.

I think managers pick him because of the ground he covers, which is fair enough. Shame he so often ends up on the wing.

Like most others, I am torn between wanting to keep him and selling him. I can see his strengths: hard worker, generally keeps the ball moving forward, enthusiastic, seems like a humble fellow. But then, look at his weaknesses – does not score enough goals, his tackling is non-existent.

Plus, if you consider that his contract will run down next summer, when Danjuma and Harrison most likely will go back to their parent clubs, then that would leave the squad pretty threadbare in need of some major replacements.

So, if Thelwell can get a decent fee for him and replace him with someone like Gnonto or Sulemana or someone else with a footballing brain, then that would be a good piece of business in my opinion.

Iwobi is a decent player, when played in the middle of midfield and not out wide.

I agree we would be mad not to cash in, with only a year of his contract left and his high wages, rather than lose him for nothing.

Interesting fact, the last 12 games Iwobi has missed playing for Everton, Everton have lost all 12 games.

Sell him. I might get stick for this but Iwobi is one of the worst signings we have made, pound for pound.

A few good memories, especially the goal against Newcastle but he is one of the most infuriating players we've had, in my opinion. The lad definitely has talent but is brainless and there is rarely any end product.

I still think he is an asset in that other clubs will take a gamble on him and we should get him off our wage bill. Harrison, when fit, will offer more.

Craig, not from me you won’t, I agree 100%.

I think it's a question of business rather than a debate over Iwobi's footballing talents.

He's been offered a new deal or extension which he has not taken up. So we can sell him now (or in January) for some cash or he leaves after the season for nothing.

Will his contributions this season be worth £10M+? I doubt it. Sell!

Doesn't give a shit – same as the football he played.

He won't sign a contract. Just get what we can for him and fuck him off!

Stuart, I’m 99% sure it only counts as a chance if someone gets on the end of the pass. Not his fault that the finishing at Everton has been so dire!

Lots of stats (such as assists) can be misleading but chances created from open play over a whole season is a pretty good indicator of how good someone is at play making. Without being rude I’d say that people who aren’t somewhat swayed by that table have already made their minds up. His figures for pass completion and giveaways are not that bad either (better than McNeil last season). He suffers sometimes from being one of our players trying to make thing happen.

In terms of getting a major upgrade who did you have in mind? I’m sure we could find someone who scores more but finding someone who creates more or progresses the ball more will be pretty hard.

Here’s his FBref which is a simple tool to see how he compares with other players in the top leagues: Link

Eddie #80,

Nice one, I think you may just be right, that joke did put a smile on my face, not an easy thing to do these days!

Have a good day (and evening) everyone!

Sam, there's definitely 'confirmation bias' involved – every mistake he makes carries extra weight because he's often been a whipping boy.

But despite the odd decent game here and there – especially through the middle – I still can't get past how often things seem to break down when he advances. Some of his dithering may well be due to the lack of movement in others.

But I never get excited when he's carrying the ball because it rarely results in anything. I do not think he's shit, just that he's average for the Premier League. Still, I'm surprised by some of those stats, so maybe he'll look different in a better team.

We haven't had a consistent playmaker for an age. James only played half a season, and Sigs was patchy. But they both got me out of my seat at least once most games.

Slowly but surely the garbage players purchased over the last few years are being removed.
Hopefully their replacements are of a much better standard. Maybe this manager might actually keep his job for a lot longer.

Whether he's good or not for the team fact is he's not going to extend his contract and we're skint so sell. Take the highest offer and get him off the wage bill.

Same goes for Gray, at least he only cost us £1.7m but again, if he's not going to sign/manager doesn't want him, then sell and move on. Players come and go, we need to be practical.

According to our player list we have 10 midfielders and 7 have contracts ending in 2024. Starting to cash in on some now is the wise option.

I could see Everton wanting to sell, injured, last year of contract but just can’t see why anyone would want to buy him now rather than wait for January at the earliest.

Supposedly there are a couple of other Premier clubs intetested so this may not be a bust yet. Either way we sit in good position. He still needs to impress future suitors and we may get a chance in the winter window to sell first right for some small change.

With the debate surrounding Iwobi and his usefulness to the Everton cause, a list of expensive Everton signings compiled by Luke Davies - who according to the blurb is an aspiring sports journalist who has experience writing for the Liverpool Echo - may help decide if Iwobi was a poor signing or better than most of the expensive ones that have arrived at Goodison in the last few years.

Everton most expensive signings ranked

Stuart @91 definitely a lot of confirmation bias going on with Iwobi! As there is with most fans and players they like/don't like. That's why I think (appropriate) stats can be useful.

But I think you're right with Iwobi. He's very seldom flashy. He does a lot of good small things that sometimes escape notice but almost never slots it in from 30 yards. In fact his general lack of goals I think counts against him a lot. People tend to remember the flashy goals or skills but not the clever 6 yard passes that lead to a tap in.

I'm not that fussed about Iowbi either way, stay or go (though the money side of things leans towards go). I rarely think about him, to be honest. I think that I'm one of the people who Sam (H) implies made their minds up long ago. However, I have been impressed by some of his close passing and efforts to link up play. He has done some quite lovely and smart short passes to set more than a few goals up. There is something in him that, if he were to go this week, will be missed. It's that little skillful pass, I think.

Iwobi is bang average on big wages.

Yes he's improved, and yes he's more creative than the rest of our midfielders, but the fact is he rarely scores, needs to assist more for the position he takes up.

Basically his best attribute is he runs which should be a given, if we want to improve we need money and £15-20M for an overpaid player with just 12 months to run on his deal is a no-brainer.

IMO. This is a mistake. When playing in central midfield, he is by far our most creative player. How he is rated worse than Onana makes no sense. If sold he would need to be replaced by somebody more creative who covers the same ground for a full game.

Seeing that we took over two transfer windows to get a decent centre-forward, I would not be hopeful. Funnily Beto looked a real good buy last night.

Maupay looked a far better fit alongside a strong centre-forward. He did really well to create the space for Dajuma to score.

Paul F, yes exactly, he is (comfortably I think) our best short passer of the ball. He moves it forward well and is one of our few players who links play cleverly around the opposition box.

Good to see you back on these pages more by the way, hope you're well!

Best to cash in on him than to allow let to let him free next season. 15-20 mn should be a good deal. He puts in an effort but lacks footballing brain. He does not score goals, always overthinks and is a dreadful crosser of the ball.

With Gray, Iwobi, Maupay & Gomes gone hopefully by tomorrow we can get decent fee and save wages. Dobbin, Onyango & Cannon need to leave out on loan to get more 1st team experience.

I hope we get the below players (some on loan)

1. Johan Bakayoko / Cornet / Sinisstera (Leeds) on loan

2. Midfielder - Adam Wharton (from Blackburn) / Alzate from BHA

3. Defender (Pace, power and passing ability). -Nico Elvedi / Maguire. Dunno how is Japhet Tanganga?

15-20m is good business, but whichever way you cut Iwobi was the best creator for us last season. Him as well as Gray also suffered due to us not having a proper striker, then the assists stats would have been better still.

Going into his final year we have got to sell him and even more importantly reinvest the money in a creative alternative.

Time is getting short to squeeze all these deals in so the business will likely have to start being finalised later today.

Gray Iwobi Cannon out £30-40 m., Gnonto/Sulemana, Wharton, Elvidi in £40-50m.

Good luck to Kevin Thelwell getting that lot done in a day and a bit!

Sounds like this might happen. £20m+ to Fulham.

No doubt many on this site will celebrate (I can hear Colin Glasar ordering champagne already) but maybe stop to consider why a team above us in the league would spend that much on a player in the last year of his contract? No-one else in our squad carries and passes the ball forward as much as him or creates as many chances.

If he won't sign a contract then selling him for decent money is the right move. Will be interesting to see how Dyche replaces him in the team. Last night we struggled to keep and progress the ball for long stretches against a bottom tier team, part of that is due to missing a player like Iwobi. Will Dyche want another player who will show for the ball and move it forward? Or will he look a pacy winger who can beat a man and put a cross in? Or maybe he'll look for a Doucoure upgrade, a number 10 who can cover ground but also score some goals? Or perhaps that money will go on better quality at the back?

So long as it doesn't go straight to the bank!

Just a couple of Iwobi stats while I’m on a rant:

Alex Iwobi 2022-23 ranked at Everton

Minutes played - 98.6%

Assists - 1st
xAG - 1st
Key Passes - 1st
Passes into Final 3rd - 1st
Passes into Penalty Box - 1st
Progressive Passes - 1st
Progressive Carries - 2nd
Attempted Dribbles - 1st
Tackles - 3rd
Ball Recoveries - 2nd

Interesting stats, Sam, though they may say more about the rest of the squad than Iwobi himself. The stats do suggest that his workrate is superior to most/all in the squad.

I personally enjoy the skills he demonstrates at times and the fact that he tries to make a forward pass as often as he can. Nevertheless, I get frustrated when he makes errors with the simplest of passes and can't tell if this is down to a lack of confidence or a brain fart.

After the Bournemouth game, I committed to accepting any Everton player to leave. I was tired of all of them and frankly, they have the most influence on our performance and it has been terrible for 3 years. Now that the weeks have passed and we are underway again, I would accept keeping Beto, who has a better stats record than Iwobi, but still happily see cheerio to the rest!

I’ve the same view Richard. Each outfield player has contributed to a greater or lesser extent to our demise. No heartache seeing the back of any of them.

Presumably the sale to Fulham balances the purchase of Beto. So we have a striker but we won't replace that midfield berth

£20m for Iwobi now is a no brainier, and add £3m/£4m his wages, especially when he walks away for nothing in the summer. But I’d prefer if Dyche brought in a midfielder now to replace him.

Sam H, sometimes it about balance in the team and I think this team would benefit more from a Cahill or a Fellaini in the advanced role than an Iwobi.

Think Fulham will suit him because he's got ability just a bit hit and miss. down sarf at a provincial yoyo club like Fulham that's acceptable. Be a blessed relief for him

To clarify,

I'm not a fan of the headless chicken so good riddance I say.

If we don't replace Iwobi with an energetic player who gives 100% each game with somebody equally energetic and more creative, then many of the posts here will be first out moaning about Everton recruitment policy.

Only makes sense if there is a ready made replacement already in the locker. Remember, guys, this is Everton who waited 2 years to get a fit centre-forward. Be careful what you wish for.

Mark # 108, I agree. I expect our business is now largely done. Danjuma and Dobbin replace Gray; Harrison replaces Iwobi. Still let's hope for a surprise or two.

Andrew # 110, I agree with that too. The nearest thing to a Fellaini / Cahill type to my mind is the Dutchman Zian Flemming at Millwall and I'm surprised no Premier League clubs have come in for him.

An obviously fluid situation but a Tanganga bid and Sulemana putting in a transfer request can give some hope for another move.

There's a lad playing against Aberdeen called Sadiq, he's from Ghana and apparently is due to join AZ Alkmaar for circa 3m Euros, if Thelwell has been watching this game, he should be on the phone to try and get him to join us. However, he looks such a talent there may be a clutch of clubs ringing his parent club Hacken.

Not sure if there is any truth in it but we are being linked with Kalvin Phillips now! A bargain if we could get him.

I take full responsibility for starting the Phillips rumour, Soren. It’s so easy to make these things snowball. It might have some legs tbh.

Soren#117 I said it about a week ago, we should try and get Phillips on loan, it would be a master stroke.

Colin,

Not sure why would he want to move now that he is being picked by Southgate without kicking a football!

Christy,

Spot on. It would be massive if we get him on loan with option to buy or something similar.

People who don’t rate Iwobi don’t get modern football. He’s our fittest and most dangerous player. Sure he loses the ball a lot, but because he’s always trying something. If you want players to play it safe all the time and not loose the ball then lets play Gomes. He’ll do feck all with it. Iwobi would be a big loss, but maybe not a Dyche player, so lets get as much as we can for him and move on.

Phil @ 121; I mustn't understand it then and I don't see him as a big loss either...small loss at best - which hasn't been very often.

We ('ve been daft enough to ) offer a contract - he's been daft / greedy enough not to snap our hand off. Sell him for what we can get (plus saved wages).

Not that it means that much, but there's not been many on here who have been bemoaning the fact that we're without him for another 3 or 4 weeks and can't wait to get him back.

Not been many bemoaning Iwobi missing for a few weeks. But selling him loses most of our creativity.
If we don’t replace him who will be our main creator?

Fab Romano just 'here we go'd' To Fulham, for up to £22 mill, inc add ons.
I don't know how I feel about that. The money - yes. Enough time to spend it - not sure. In house replacement - nope, don't see anyone. Anxious for any creativity within the squad - yep. Loads. Next 11 hrs may make this feel better, or a lot worse.

Phil (121), If Iwobi represents modern football then I confess I don’t understand the game today, to compare Iwobi with a player worse than he is doesn’t help your case.

He has no intention of signing another contract with Everton, he wants Champions League football and he can walk away for nothing next summer so grab, with welcoming arms, what we can for him now.

If he goes he goes and thank our lucky stars we got some money back for him!

Dave, £22million for Iwobi and we’ll get a lot more for your other favourite Onana! That is added to the £60 million we got for Richarlison, who you also didn’t rate tbh.

We have just sold our most creative and progressive player in Iwobi (as Sam demonstrates in his stats @ 104). Ancelotti, Benitez, Lampard and Dyche all picked him when fit and we need to replace his creativity today or we will regret it.

But, it is the right business for the club as he can’t be allowed to leave the club without a fee.

£150m + £1.5m per week for a 31 y/o Salad. Wow. Both he and FSG would be crazy to turn that down. The thing for me though is that he’s a Klopp player and will do next to fuck all going elsewhere - same as Mane, Cortinaho etc etc. Before Bingo struggle cuddled him in the changies he couldn’t get near the Chelsea side. Did ok at Roma, and then spent fist season back in the PL and broke records - out of feckin nowhere - but that’s just cos they’re the jammiest bastards known to man and have spent 60 years having 20 goal a season strikers unlike every other team in world football.

Astonishing sums of money being offered.

Ansu Fati to Brighton. Jeezus 😮

Stats eh?

Premier league stats show that big chances created in the three premier league games we've played so far are Onana with 3 and Garner with 2. Obviously we've got no assists as we haven't scored in the premier league yet but with more players up front those big chances could/should be converted into assists. So there's five "possible" assists in the first three games from two of our midfielders.

Iwobi had seven assists for the whole of last season.

Me and Dave Abrahams are having a "don't understand the modern game" party!

Don't understand the modern game ffs!!

Selling Iwobi for £20m is the best of business EFC have done for years. He’s shit. Actually he’s worse than shit and you can stick your stats. He’s not a team player, goes missing every game, won’t tackle EVER, won’t even get in the way, can’t cross it, can’t head it, can’t shoot and basically offers the odd mazy dribble to nowhere. One of the most ineffective players we’ve ever had. But good luck to him. Glad he’s gone. Never ever ever an Everton player.

Steve (126), whatever we get for Iwobi I will be grateful for, I don’t feel any regret he is going, just pray that the deal is finalised today, if Reed comes to us that would be a great move for the lad and us.

Everton are getting crushed with the stampede to sign Onana.

Richarlison was over hyped by many Everton fans, and many would have him back, I wonder how many Spurs fans would be disappointed if he was sold today.

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