Everton currently have a significant number of players in their squad who have contracts set to expire next summer or in 2024.
Out of those players, one whom we feel that the club and Kevin Thelwell should definitely look to offer new terms is Alex Iwobi.
Speaking to evertontv lately (via Liverpool Echo), the 26-year-old admitted that it would be strange if his time at Goodison Park were to end abruptly at the conclusion of his current deal, stating: “It’ll be weird if I ever come to an end of Everton, but I feel like I’ll always be a part of it one way or another so it’s nice to be here.”
The Toffees signed Iwobi three years ago from fellow Premier League side Arsenal in a deal worth £34m. Since then, the Nigerian has gone on to make 104 appearances for the Merseyside club across all competitions, chipping in with seven goals and nine assists.
As Everton managed to dramatically escape relegation last season, the 26-year-old ended up playing a massive part in the second half of the campaign by completing the full 90 minutes in the club’s final 12 matches.
In those games, Iwobi scored the winning goal in their 1-0 win over Newcastle United in March and provided an assist in the 2-1 victory against Leicester City in May.
This shows how reliable a figure he can be for the team and that has the ability to step up and deliver when it very much matters.
This season has seen the £50k-per-week midfielder play every minute of league action for Frank Lampard’s side, making him one of just three outfield players to do so, highlighting how much the Toffees manager rates him.
In fact, his performance in Everton’s 0-0 draw against Liverpool earlier this month was described as “exceptional” and “outstanding” by former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf.
To further highlight how impressive he has been in the early stages of the campaign, Iwobi currently has the highest average of key passes per game (1.8) of any Everton player to start more than one league match.
Taking all that into account, we feel that the former Arsenal man has certainly done enough to warrant getting the new deal that he seemingly wants and continuing his journey at Goodison Park under Lampard.
