Everton slap hefty price tag on Fulham linked star; Toffees ‘in touch’ with Brighton over signing replacement

Everton have reportedly slapped a hefty asking price on Alex Iwobi amid claims that Fulham are in talks to sign the former Arsenal man.

The 27-year-old has arguably been one of the bright sparks of a dismal few years for the Toffees and is statistically their top chance creator.

Iwobi has less than 12 months remaining on his current contract at Goodison Park and despite talks, has so far refused to sign an extension.

The Nigeria international signed for Everton back in 2019 for a fee of £35m (including add-ons.) Originally, he was used as a winger but Frank Lampard opted to use him in midfield, where he has flourished ever since.

Last season, Iwobi featured in all of Everton’s Premier League matches, scoring two goals and making seven assists in the process.

Considering the Toffees scored just 34 goals in total, those stats show how important he is to the team.

There is a chance Iwobi could leave Everton, but only for the right price. According to the Times, the Merseyside club will demand a fee in excess of £20m for him.

The report notes that Fulham are ‘in talks’ over signing Iwobi, while one other unnamed Premier League club and a European club are also in the race.

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Everton could replace Iwobi with Alzate

If Fulham do meet Everton’s expectations with a bid for Iwobi, Sean Dyche will undoubtedly look to bring in a creative midfielder before the transfer window slams shut.

In that regard, the most likely candidate at this stage is Brighton’s Steven Alzate. After Carlos Baleba’s arrival at the Amex on Wednesday, Alzate has been deemed surplus to requirements by Roberto de Zerbi.

The Colombia international spent last season on loan with Standard Liege, where he scored two goals and made five assists in 24 appearances.

Alzate has just one year remaining on his contract with Brighton. According to BBC Sport journalist Simon Stone, he will be ‘allowed to leave’ this summer.

Stone claims that Everton and Wolves have ‘been in touch’ regarding a potential deal for the 24-year-old, with Sevilla and Fiorentina also interested in signing him.

It isn’t clear how much the Toffees would have to spend to sign the Colombian, but with his contract running out he wouldn’t command a big fee.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if Everton can beat the competition to Alzate’s signature in the next few days. They may still make a move even if they don’t sell Iwobi, too.

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