Alex Iwobi reveals the surprising details that saw him leave Arsenal

Former Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi has opened up about his departure from the club a few years ago, revealing that he was pushed out by the arrival of new players and a lack of playing time.

In an interview with The Beautiful Game podcast, Iwobi spoke candidly about his last game for Arsenal, which was the Europa League final. He said that manager Unai Emery had told him that he wanted him to stay at the club for the following season, but things didn’t work out that way.

“From the first day to the last day, Everton pushed and pushed and pushed,” Iwobi said. “And Arsenal just signed a new winger [Nicolas Pepe]… and there were a few players that were still there, they weren’t ready to [leave].”

Iwobi said that Arsenal had received a high bid for him from Everton and had given him the option to stay or go. He chose to leave because he wanted a new challenge.

“They’ve given me that, and Everton’s a club that’s also a very big club that wants me,” he said. “I want a new challenge, so why not pursue it?”

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 23: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal takes on Alex Iwobi of Everton during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Everton FC at Emirates Stadium on February 23, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Iwobi’s departure from Arsenal was seen as a surprise at the time, as he had been with the club since he was eight years old and had made a lot of appearances for them. However, his playing time had been limited in his last season with the Gunners, and it seemed clear that he needed to move on in order to continue developing as a player.

Since joining Everton in 2019, Iwobi has become an important part of their squad and has played a lot of games for them. He has also continued to represent Nigeria at international level.

Looking back on his time at Arsenal, Iwobi said that he was grateful for everything they had done for him but felt it was time to move on.

“I’m happy I made the decision I did,” he said. “I’m happy I’m at Everton now, and hopefully, we can achieve something great.”