Alex Iwobi is on the verge of £20m Fulham switch as Arsenal miss out on sell-on fee

  • Alex Iwobi is nearing a £20 million move to Fulham, affecting both his current club, Everton, and his former club, Arsenal.
  • Everton are eyeing West Ham’s Maxwel Cornet as a possible replacement for Iwobi.
  • The fee for Iwobi means that Arsenal will not benefit from a sell-on clause.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 5: Alex Iwobi of Everton runs with the ball during the pre-season friendly match between Everton and Sporting Lisbon at Goodison Park on August 5, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: Alex Iwobi of Everton runs with the ball during the pre-season friendly match between Everton and Sporting Lisbon at Goodison Park on August 5, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)

Alex Iwobi, the Nigerian winger formerly of Arsenal, is on the brink of a £20 million move to Fulham.

The transfer raises eyebrows not only for its impact on Everton, where Iwobi played a central role last season, but also for Arsenal.

The North London club will not profit from a sell-on clause due to the reduced fee for Iwobi, who left the Emirates for Everton for a deal reportedly around £28 million plus £7 million in add-ons.

Currently sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Iwobi’s absence was felt in Everton’s recent 1-0 defeat to Wolves.

Despite this setback, Fulham are advancing steadily with the transfer deal. Iwobi’s potential move would significantly impact Everton, where he played a pivotal role in helping the club avoid relegation last season.

Arsenal's Nigerian striker Alex Iwobi runs with the ball during the UEFA Europa League round of 32, 2nd leg football match between Arsenal and Bate Borisov at the Emirates stadium in London on February 21, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP / Getty Images)
Arsenal’s Nigerian striker Alex Iwobi runs with the ball during the UEFA Europa League round of 32, 2nd leg football match between Arsenal and Bate Borisov at the Emirates stadium in London on February 21, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP / Getty Images)

To fill the void left by Iwobi, Everton are eyeing out-of-favour West Ham winger Maxwel Cornet as a possible replacement.

Cornet moved to West Ham from Burnley last summer but has struggled to secure a regular spot in David Moyes’ line-up, seeing just one minute of action in their first match against Bournemouth this season.

Iwobi’s stats tell a tale of consistent but not spectacular performance; during his time at Arsenal, he appeared in 149 games, scoring 15 goals and assisting 25 times. At Everton, he has tallied 140 games, netting nine goals and contributing 16 assists.

Arsenal's Nigerian forward Alex Iwobi (L) celebrates after scoring a goal with his teammate Arsenal's German midfielder Mesut Ozil during the UEFA Champions league Group A football match between FC Basel 1893 and Arsenal FC on December 6, 2016 at the St Jakob Park stadium in Basel. / AFP / Fabrice COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s Nigerian forward Alex Iwobi (L) celebrates after scoring a goal with his teammate Arsenal’s German midfielder Mesut Ozil during the UEFA Champions league Group A football match between FC Basel 1893 and Arsenal FC on December 6, 2016 at the St Jakob Park stadium in Basel. (Photo credit FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Everton are eager to move forward in light of Iwobi’s anticipated departure and the injury issues that have sidelined him since mid August. The exact timeline for his return remains uncertain, but what is clear is that his imminent move to Fulham signifies a key moment in this summer’s transfer window dynamics, affecting not just one but three Premier League clubs.

Iwobi’s likely departure raises questions about Everton’s midfield and attacking options, but it also holds financial implications for Arsenal, who will not be able to cash in on their former player’s move.

That being said, Arsenal sold Iwobi for around £10m over his value in 2019.