Everton must keep exit-linked Alex Iwobi as official stat puts him in Declan Rice league
Alex Iwobi was one of the very few Everton players to have finished the season with his head held high amid the club’s worrying finish.
The Toffees managed to stave off relegation to the Championship on the final day of the campaign, having endured a very tough journey under both Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche.
The latter did, at least, provide some stability at Goodison Park, but he needs to improve things drastically if the Toffees are to have better fortunes next time around.
But they face losing a handful of senior players this summer, one of which could be Iwobi, with the midfielder telling Brila (16 June) of his ambitions to play in the Champions League.
That will be a worry for Dyche, who could lose a player that was among the leaders in terms of distance covered in the Premier League last season.
Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse sits top of the pile with 433.38km covered, followed by Brighton ace Pascal Gross with 418.88km, as per the official Premier League website.
West Ham star Declan Rice sits third on 412.95km, with the Hammers skipper followed by Toffees man Iwobi, who covered 405.77km throughout the season.
Given Everton’s miserable campaign, it is certainly a fine achievement from Iwobi, whose versatility undoubtedly helped him keep the pace with some of the league’s standout performers.
Of course the Merseyside outfit need more talent in their squad, but a characteristic such as stamina will also be crucial in keeping the club above water next season as they look to avoid a third successive relegation fight.
In other Everton news, the Toffees have made an approach to sign a £21million centre-forward this summer.