Alex Iwobi Profile: Career, Market Value And Honors

Alex Iwobi, whose full name is Alexander Chuka Iwobi, is a Nigerian football player. He was born on May 3, 1996, in Lagos, Nigeria. Alex plays as a midfielder for Fulham, a team in the English Premier League, and also represents the Nigeria national team.

When he was four years old, Alex moved to England with his family after a short time living in Turkey. He grew up in Newham, London. Football runs in his family; his uncle is Jay-Jay Okocha, a famous former footballer, and his father, Chuka Iwobi, also played football.

Alex Iwobi Club Career:

Alex Iwobi started his football career with Arsenal when he was still a young boy in primary school. He joined the club in 2004. Despite showing promise, there were times when he almost left the club.

At ages 14 and 16, Arsenal considered releasing him, but he stayed on.

Iwobi first got a taste of being part of the first team in a League Cup match against West Bromwich Albion on 25 September 2013, though he didn’t play and was just an unused substitute.

In October 2015, he signed a long-term contract with Arsenal. He finally made his first-team debut on 27 October 2015, starting in a League Cup match against Sheffield Wednesday, which Arsenal lost 3–0.

Just four days later, he made his Premier League debut in a 3–0 win over Swansea City, coming on as a substitute for Mesut Özil in stoppage time.

He also made his debut in the Champions League that season as a substitute in a 5–1 defeat against Bayern Munich. Iwobi got more playing time in the 2015–16 season.

He started in FA Cup wins against Sunderland and Burnley. In his first Champions League start, Arsenal lost 3–1 to Barcelona. However, he made a mark in the Premier League, scoring in his first two starts in wins against Everton and Watford.

For the 2016–17 season, Iwobi switched his squad number from 45 to 17, as Alexis Sánchez took the number 7 jersey. Iwobi played an important role in Arsenal’s FA Cup victory that season, with the team beating Chelsea 2–1 in the final.

He also helped Arsenal win the 2017 Community Shield, again overcoming Chelsea, this time in a penalty shootout. In January 2018, Iwobi faced some controversy when a video surfaced showing him at a late-night party 36 hours before a match.

In May 2018, when Arsène Wenger announced his departure from Arsenal, Iwobi called Wenger an inspiration and expressed mixed feelings about his exit.

Iwobi signed another long-term contract with Arsenal in August 2018, which was supposed to last until 2023. However, in January 2019, he was subjected to racist comments by Indian actress Esha Gupta, who shared offensive messages on social media.

Gupta later apologized for her actions. One of Iwobi’s memorable moments with Arsenal was in May 2019, when he scored the team’s only goal in a 4–1 defeat to Chelsea in the UEFA Europa League Final.

On 8 August 2019, Iwobi moved to Everton, signing a five-year contract. Arsenal received an initial fee of £28 million, which later rose to £34 million with add-ons. Iwobi made his debut for Everton fifteen days after signing, coming on as a substitute in a 2–0 loss to Aston Villa.

His first goal for Everton came on 28 August in a 4–2 win against Lincoln City in the EFL Cup. He then scored his first league goal for Everton on 1 September in a 3–2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. His performance earned praise from manager Marco Silva.

Iwobi’s 2022–23 season was particularly impressive, as he was named Everton’s Players’ Player of the Season after providing eight assists, the highest in the club that season. On 2 September 2023, Iwobi signed for Fulham for an undisclosed fee.

He made his debut for Fulham on 16 September as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Luton Town. His first goal for Fulham came in a 2–1 win over Norwich City in the third round of the EFL Cup on 27 September.

Iwobi continued to make an impact at Fulham, scoring his first Premier League goal for the club in a 3–2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on 27 November. On 6 December, he scored two goals in a 5–0 win against Nottingham Forest, marking the first league brace of his career.

On 6 April 2024, Iwobi set a new record for the most minutes played by a Nigerian footballer in Premier League history, surpassing the previous record held by Mikel John Obi.

Alex Iwobi International Career:

Alex Iwobi has had an interesting international career, representing Nigeria on the global stage. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Iwobi moved to England at a young age. He was eligible to play for either England or Nigeria.

Early in his career, Iwobi chose to represent England at the youth level. He played for the England U16 team and even won the 2011 Victory Shield with them. During his time with England’s youth teams, Iwobi earned 11 caps.

In 2015, Iwobi decided to switch his allegiance to Nigeria. He felt a strong connection to his birth country and wanted to make an impact on Nigerian football. His senior debut for the Nigerian national team, known as the Super Eagles, was on October 8, 2015.

In this game, Nigeria played against DR Congo in a friendly match held in Visé, Belgium. Iwobi came on as a substitute in the 57th minute, replacing Ahmed Musa. However, Nigeria lost the match 2-0, it but was the beginning of Iwobi’s career with the Super Eagles.

Iwobi’s talent was recognized, and he was selected for Nigeria’s 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Unfortunately, he did not make the final 18-man squad for the tournament. Despite this setback, Iwobi continued to work hard and improve his game.

In August 2017, Iwobi faced another challenge when he had to pull out of Nigeria’s squad for World Cup qualifiers due to an injury. Yet, he made a strong comeback in October 2017.

Iwobi scored the crucial goal in a 1-0 victory over Zambia, securing Nigeria’s place in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. This was a massive achievement for Iwobi and the Super Eagles.

At the 2018 World Cup, Iwobi was part of Nigeria’s 23-man squad. He played in all three group-stage matches, but unfortunately, Nigeria did not advance to the knockout rounds. Despite the early exit, Iwobi gained valuable experience playing on the world stage.

In April 2019, Iwobi expressed his desire to follow in the footsteps of his famous uncle, Jay-Jay Okocha, by winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). He was included in Nigeria’s squad for the 2019 tournament.

During the competition, Iwobi stated that he would not let the pressure of being labeled favorites affect him. After the tournament, he was eager to return to club football with Arsenal. Iwobi continued to be a key player for Nigeria.

He was named in the squad for the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, which took place in 2022. However, his time at the tournament was cut short when he received a red card just five minutes after coming on as a substitute in a knockout stage match against Tunisia.

Nigeria lost the match 0-1 and was eliminated from the tournament. Most recently, Iwobi played in the 2023 African Cup of Nations. He played in all seven games for Nigeria, who made it to the final. Despite their efforts, Nigeria finished as runners-up, losing the final to the host nation, Ivory Coast.

Alex Iwobi Market Value:

Alex Iwobi’s market value has fluctuated over time. As of May 27, 2024, his current market value stands at €25.00 million. This represents a decrease from his highest market value of €32.00 million, which was recorded on September 12, 2019.

Looking at the trend over the years, his value has seen ups and downs. In 2017, it was around €5 million, steadily rising to €20 million by 2021 before reaching its peak in 2019. Since then, it has experienced a decline. However, despite fluctuations, Iwobi’s market value remains substantial in the football market.

Alex Iwobi Honors:

Arsenal

2016–17: FA Cup
2015, 2017: FA Community Shield
2017–18: EFL Cup runner-up
2018–19: UEFA Europa League runner-up

England U16

2011: Victory Shield

Nigeria

2023; third place: 2019: Africa Cup of Nations runner-up

Individual

2016: CAF Youth Player of the Year
2016: CAF Team of the Year (as a substitute)
2023: Everton Players’ Player of the Year

Ken Anucha

Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.