Fulham have turned down Atletico Madrid’s £21.5m offer for for Nigerian international Alex Iwobi.
The Whites view their 29-year-old midfielder as a key part of Marco Silva’s plans and are not considering selling him at this point. Atletico’s bid came as a surprise to both Fulham and Iwobi, whose consistent displays for the Cottagers saw him become a target of Diego Simeone’s as Atleti aim to revamp their squad following their disappointing third-place finish in La Liga last season.
The former Arsenal and Everton midfielder was reportedly offered a weekly wage of around £115,000-a-week by Los Colchoneros and it remains to be seen whether they will increase their bid in the coming days. Iwobi, who signed for Fulham in a £22m deal from Everton in September 2023, has quickly become a fans’ favourite at Craven Cottage for his industrious displays in a number of different positions.
The Nigerian has scored 15 goals and made eight assists in 77 games and still has three years to run on his current contract. Iwobi has scored ten goals in eighty senior appearances for the Super Eagles, whom he helped reach the final of the African Cup of Nations last February.
Arsenal ready to offer £43m for Ademola Lookman
Super Eagles’ star, Ademola Lookman has been rumoured to be leaving Atalanta for months, but now Arsenal’s interest adds an interesting twist to the story. The Nigerian attacker became a key player for the Italian club, scoring 20 goals and providing seven assists last season. With those numbers, it’s no surprise that Mikel Arteta wants to bring him to north London.
Arsenal are confident of securing his arrival for around €50 million, and the idea of returning to the Premier League could appeal to the player. However, they are not the only ones paying attention. Manchester United are watching the situation cautiously.
According to Corriere della Sera, Arsenal are ready to offer £43m for the Nigerian’s signature, and we reported earlier that the Red Devils are interested in interfering with the Gunners’ operation and are seriously considering the option of signing Lookman this summer. The Old Trafford board understands that their attack needs freshness, goals and a different spark.
With Ruben Amorim at the helm, the idea of having a versatile, fast and goal-scoring winger fits well into their system. The club have already missed opportunities in the transfer market by not moving quickly enough. They are now assessing whether it is worth matching or exceeding Arsenal’s offer. The 27-year-old player is already familiar with the Premier League, having played for Everton, Fulham and Leicester, which will make it easier for him to settle in immediately.
In our view, Manchester United should carefully analyse whether Lookman is really the ideal profile to make a qualitative leap in their attack. With players like Garnacho, Rashford and Antony on the verge of leaving, Amorim needs more consistency and X-factor on the wing, but also tactical coherence. Lookman brings pace, goals and the ability to play on both wings.