Iwobi: Leaving Arsenal was painful — I felt like they wanted me gone
Former Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi has opened up about the pain he felt when he was sold by his boyhood club in 2019, revealing that then-manager Unai Emery was not behind the decision to let him go.
Iwobi, a product of Arsenal’s academy who made over 100 appearances for the senior team, was sold to Everton for £34 million on deadline day in the summer of 2019—the same window the Gunners splashed £72 million on Nicolas Pepe.
Looking back on the move, Iwobi admitted he never got a proper chance to say goodbye to his teammates and felt hurt by how things were handled.
“Yeah, a bit. At least let me decide for myself,” he said on The Inside Scoop podcast.
At the time, Iwobi said he was settled at the club and had no plans to leave, even after Arsenal signed Pepe.
“Three or two days before the transfer deadline day, my agent told me Everton were interested,” he recalled. “I said nice. He asked what I thought, and I told him I was comfortable at Arsenal. But then Arsenal had just signed Pepe for this huge amount.”
Iwobi explained that despite the pressure, he was prepared to compete for his place:
“They asked if I still wanted to stay. I said, ‘Yeah, I don’t mind.’ I’ve had competition all my life—I was ready to prove my point.”
But things moved quickly, and it became clear Arsenal were looking to cash in.
“My agent said Arsenal had already submitted my medical. That’s when I realised they might want me gone because they needed to sell someone. There were players who weren’t ready to leave, and I was the easiest option with the biggest fee. So I thought, ‘Ah, they want to get rid of me.’”
Iwobi also shared details of a heartfelt chat with Unai Emery, who reassured him that the decision didn’t come from him.
“I spoke to Emery and he said, ‘Look Alex, this is football. I didn’t want you to go… you’ve always worked hard for the team.’ That meant a lot, and I still respect him for that.”
After five years at Everton, Iwobi is now enjoying a strong spell at Fulham, having returned to London and rediscovered his form. The 29-year-old has recorded nine goals and six assists in what is shaping up to be one of his best seasons yet.
Iwobi also credits Frank Lampard for helping him get back on track during a tough time under Rafa Benitez at Everton.
“Lampard, hands down, revived my career,” he said. “After one AFCON, I got sent off and when I returned, Benitez said I was going out on loan. I was having a rough patch—but then Benitez left.”
Under Lampard’s guidance, Iwobi transitioned from a winger to a central midfielder, a role he continues to shine in at Fulham under Marco Silva.
“Lampard told me, ‘Express yourself, be you.’ That’s when I really turned things around. I’d say that was the best spell of my career.”
This season, Iwobi has featured in all 37 of Fulham’s Premier League games—starting 35 and coming off the bench in two—totalling 2,970 minutes on the pitch.
He most recently played in Fulham’s 3-2 victory over Brentford and is expected to start in their final match of the season at home against Manchester City on May 25.
