Marco Silva has challenged Alex Iwobi to improve his goalscoring stats after his Deadline Day switch to Everton.
Iwobi became Everton’s seventh summer signing, joining from Arsenal for £35 million, and Silva says the 23-year-old’s versatility boosts his attacking options.
However, the Everton boss says Iwobi needs to find the net more regularly after scoring 15 goals in 148 appearances for Arsenal.
“The position we see him in is clear, coming from the left,” said Silva. “He can also play behind the striker really well. He can even play on the right.
“He is a strong player, good skills also, but one of the things I will be demanding from him is to start scoring more goals. He is important in that position also.
“But he will help us. He can put good intensity into a match, which is something I like in my attacking players. He will give different solutions to me.”
Silva swooped for Iwobi after Everton failed in their pursuit of Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, although he insists the Nigeria international was always on his wishlist.
“You cannot just have one name, you have some names, we tried the players and the market was difficult,” said Silva, whose side travel to Crystal Palace for their Premier League opener on Saturday.
“When we lost [Ademola] Lookman we look for one winger, not two, and we have tried to do the deals and achieve a very good player.”
Trending
- Sanwo-Olu: We’ve fulfilled our promises
- Upholding Democracy: The imperative of credible party primaries in Nigeria, by Adebanji Dada
- FG revokes 924 dormant mining licences as minister decries racketeering
- Why I didn’t build schools as Anambra governor, Peter Obi replies Omokri
- Establish base in Sambisa forest, Zulum tells Army
- EFCC withdraws appeal against former Kogi Governor Bello
- Fidelity Bank commends Air Peace’s performance
- How AI, automation, and trusted data are shaping next-generation customer service, by Linda Saunders