Alex Iwobi: Big 17 No Safety

[field442]

Ideally I’d have kept him and got rid of Mkhitaryan but nobody wants him. If you’re being offered £34m for backups then a club with our model needs to take it, especially when we have a couple of promising youth players coming through in his position.

 

[Penn_]

A little sad over here. I desperately want our young lads to make it. Especially a player like Iwobi who’s grown up at the club and has always done his best. Hope he becomes a big hit at Everton and we sneakily inserted a buy-back or first refusal in his deal.

They can’t all make it.

Giving Iwobi another season could be the difference between Nelson staying or leaving.

Financially it makes little sense either, remember when we could offered around 20-30m for Joel Campbell but fans wanted him to have a shot.

 

[Ricardinho]

Great posts.

Hope he gets the respect he deserves whenever he comes to the Emirates. Hope he does well for Everton and maybe shift another gear. Don't think it would've happened here.

I'm sure he'll get a fantastic reception whenever he returns to the Emirates with opposing team.

Certain players that leave us don't but Iwobi definitely will.

 

[Makingtrax]

Good luck Alex.

 

[Beksl]

We got good money for an academy product and even thou I like Iwobi and think it will eventually ''click'' for him I think we made the right move. The fact we have Nelson and Saka waiting to get an opportunity makes this transfer even more reasonable.

Best of luck in your career Alex!

 

[9jagooner]

Sad he's left the club. But happy with the direction the club is taking and also happy for Alex's career. I don't want him to be 'just part of the squad' because he's got so much in his game to be a regular starter at the right club. Hopefully at Everton, he'll push on and realise his full potentials.

I hope the other youngsters see this and learn that the years of treating them as kids are gone. You want to play for Arsenal, show it on the field and in your attitude. No more we won't buy elite player X because we don't want to 'kill this academy player's career'.

Looking forward to big things from Nelson and Willock this season. Will also keep an eye on Nketiah at Leeds and Smith-Rowe (whereever he goes on loan to)

 

[krackpot]

We would have better served by keeping him. Such a low fee for a academy lad.

Good for his career, though

 

[ThlRama]

Is there any reason why you’re believing this one source above all the others? Genuine question.

Let's call it a matter of empiricism and hunch. But even on there they edited the fee to 30m (which is still not impressive.)

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Everton really gave us upwards of £60M for Walcott and Iwobi. I wish them every success this season (except against us).

 

[L3T5 PL4Y]

Reading through the comments you can't help but get a little emotional. I've always liked him and still think he could be a very good player if not great some day. If it were up to me I'd rather have moved on Mkhitaryan and Özil before but he was our only sellable player who could recoup some good money while his progress stagnated.

Kind of difficult to imagine what he maybe going through as well because I doubt he wanted to move. But I think getting out of his comfort zone and known territory might just help him bridge that gap.

Best wishes.

 

[samshere]

Best of luck to him, playing for Everton would be better for his career long term.

 

[Chancellor]

One of the most positives signs by the new regime.

 

[Arsenal1508]

If he turns into the Nigerian NT version and out performs Pepe, we will regret this.

Best of luck Iwobi.

Only reason he has been allowed to go because no buyers for Mhki and Özil.

 

[Sammy1887]

Close this thread and burn it.

 

[GunnerfromNigeria]

Iwobi is 23. He has not even hit his prime yet. I think it was a mistake to sell Iwobi. But I understand why Raul did it. Iwobi was on modest wages and we received a relativity good offer from Everton. The club didn't get any offers for Özil, and Mikhitarayan that is why they are still at the club.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Sorry to see Alex go. Good guy and a player who has been undervalued by fans. But he may never have been a fixture in the starting XI, so it was a good bit of business -- smart business, as I've been calling for -- to move him on and get a decent fee. It gives Nelson more opportunities. Probably a good move for Alex's career as well. Should be a good fit at Everton and has a chance to develop into an excellent player with more regular playing time. I'll be wishing him the best.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Felt likr a random sale. Hearing that our net spend is in region of 60-70M which is what I said we could do before the summer. Iwobi sale came to bring those 110 M down.

I think we didnt want to sell him before Özil, Miki, Elneny or Miki. But Iwobi was quick cash we could do to balance the books.