Marcel Brands thought that Everton would back away from the £35 million signing of Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi in August 2019 but, according to the Liverpool Echo, it was Farhad Moshiri who forced through the signing.
If any player sums up the situation facing Everton right now, it’s Iwobi.
The Nigeria international has become an epitome of the muddled thinking, the lack of long-term planning in evidence at Goodison Park; an unfortunate posterboy for the club’s ongoing malaise, a lightning rod for criticism and frustration.
It’s a damning indictment that, two-and-a-half-years after joining the club for a fee in the region of £35 million, we are no closer to figuring out Iwobi’s best position.
Is he a number ten? A left winger? A right winger?
In truth, some of his best performances in Everton blue came when he was deployed as a right-wing-back under Carlo Ancelotti in the first-half of last season.
The problem is, under Rafa Benitez, The Toffees no longer play with a back five.
And while Iwobi managed just three minutes off the bench as Everton came from behind to defeat Arsenal 2-1 on Monday night – their first Premier League win in nine games – the 25-year-old still found the time to squander a glorious one-on-one opportunity, firing straight at Aaron Ramsdale after being set up by the razor-sharp Richarlison.
Does Alex Iwobi have a future at Everton?
According to the Liverpool Echo, it was Moshiri, the club’s majority shareholder, who forced through the signing of Iwobi on the final day of the summer 2019 transfer window.
Everton only turned to Iwobi after missing out on their top target, Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha.
It is understood that Brands, Everton’s now-departed sporting director, expected that a deal for Iwobi would be abandoned, especially given the price Arsenal were demanding.
Imagine his surprise, then, when the Lagos-born forward was posing for photos in front of Gwladys Street a few hours later.
Brands walked away from Everton on Sunday. And who can blame him for growing frustrated with life at Goodison Park?
Brands was appointed to oversee incomings and outgoings, to build a squad in his image. He probably didn’t expect, when he arrived, that the majority shareholder would be overruling him in matters of recruitment.
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