When Alex Iwobi left Everton, there was a sense that, under different circumstances, the move could have been avoided. But the Toffees were in dire financial straits, and getting a solid fee for the Nigerian helped eleviate some of the pressure.
From a footballing perspective, the move didn't make a lot of sense. Iwobi had just turned 26 and was one of the bright spots during Everton's run of relegation battles.
But the club did what it had to do to stay afloat, and Iwobi joined another former Everton standout, manager Marco Silva, at Fulham, where he's enjoyed two very solid seasons, including setting his career high in goal contributions last season with 15 (9 goals, 6 assists).
As a team, Fulham's season is off to a slow start. They sit in 15th place, one point behind Everton, through 10 matches, scoring 12 goals while allowing 14. The Cottagers come into Saturday's game at Hill Dickinson Stadium having just one win over their last five matches.
And yet Iwobi remains a player that Everton must pay attention to, as he pulls the strings that make the Fulham attack run, once again leading the team in goal contributions this season so far with three (1 goal, 2 assists), along with progressive carries (40), progressive passes (56), and progressive runs (54).
In short, while forward Harry Wilson and fullback Ryan Sessegnon are tied for the club lead in goals, it is Iwobi who makes most of what Fulham does happen from his midfield role.
And so it will be paramount that the likes of Idrissa Gana Gueye, James Garner, and possibly Tim Iroegbunam, should he feature, pay close attention to Iwobi's movements. His numbers indicate a player who is dangerous on the ball, yes, but also someone who can be a real nuisance without it with his forward runs.
It may not always amount to goals for himself, but he's never been a prolific goal scorer anyway. Instead, he'll open up channels for his teammates or use his clever passing to create space that wasn't there in the first place. James Tarkowski and Michael Keane will have to be wise to Iwobi's movement as well.
Fulham may not be the attacking threat they've been in recent years, mostly because of the club's aging roster that has had trouble staying healthy, but they are fully capable of pouncing on mistakes made by the opposition, something Iwobi is particularly adept at.
If Everton allow the former Toffee to take control of the game, it will make it hard to secure a much needed three points for the home side on Saturday.