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Iwobi targets African EPL appearance record after consistent rise through English football

Alex Iwobi is closing in on a historic milestone in the Premier League, with the Fulham midfielder setting his sights on becoming Africa’s most-featured player in the competition.   The 30-year-old moved…

Alex Iwobi is closing in on a historic milestone in the Premier League, with the Fulham midfielder setting his sights on becoming Africa’s most-featured player in the competition.

 

The 30-year-old moved into second place on the all-time list after making an appearance in Fulham’s 1-1 draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park last Saturday.

 

Iwobi has now recorded 329 Premier League appearances across three clubs – Arsenal, Everton and Fulham – moving ahead of former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, with whom he had previously shared second place.

 

His journey to the landmark reflects years of consistency and adaptation in English football. Having progressed through Arsenal’s youth system, Iwobi made 100 league appearances for the North London club before moving to Everton, where he featured 123 times.

 

His move to Fulham has provided another chapter in his career, with 106 appearances so far for the Cottagers.

 

Only former Ivory Coast international Kolo Toure stands ahead of him on the African appearance chart, having made 352 Premier League appearances during his spells with Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool.

 

Iwobi needs 24 more appearances to equal Toure’s record and 25 to surpass it, a target he is determined to achieve.

 

Speaking to FFC TV, the Nigerian international acknowledged the challenge but expressed confidence in his ability to reach the milestone.

 

“But I’m trying to break the record, I think Kolo Toure is up there, so I’ll keep my eyes going forward and see if I can break that,” he said.

 

If successful, Iwobi would add another significant achievement to a career that has seen him establish himself as one of Nigeria’s most consistent players in the Premier League, following his development at Arsenal and subsequent spells at Everton and Fulham.

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Published November 2, 2026
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