EVERTON star Alex Iwobi has opened up on his exit from Arsenal in 2019.
The Nigeria international swapped North London for Merseyside in a £40million transfer.
But he has now revealed he was nudged out of the club following the arrival of Nicolas Pepe.
Iwobi was told he would not be guaranteed a place in the side and with Everton showing a lot of interest, he decided to opt for a new challenge.
In an interview with The Beautiful Game Podcast, he said: “Arsenal just signed a new winger [Pepe] and there were a few players there who were not ready to go.
“So they said ‘we have received a bid for you, it’s a high bid, we’re not going to get this sort of money from anywhere else.
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“It was a nudge, it’s a winger as well someone who is probably going to play in your position. It’s up to you sort of thing.
“So I thought ‘cool, they have given me that and Everton’s a club that’s a very big club that wants me’. I want a new challenge so why not pursue it.”
Iwobi has had tricky patches at Everton but has impressed this season, so much so he is set for a bumper new deal.
The 26-year-old credits Frank Lampard for his turnaround, with the former Toffees boss responsible for converting Iwobi from a winger into a midfielder.
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Iwobi added: “I feel like he revitalised and saved my career a bit.
“He talked to me a lot. He helped me a lot.”
And Iwobi said of Lampard in September: “Sometimes in training he (Lampard) tells me to relax and calm down, as I’m always running.
“But he enjoys that I’m being selfless and working hard for the team.
“I like to progress with the ball and get up the pitch as quick as I can, and he sometimes tells me to enjoy the ball and take care of it. That’s something I’m learning in this deeper role.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
