Iwobi eyes Kolo Touré's African Premier League appearance record
Alex Iwobi has moved into second place on the all-time African Premier League appearances list with 329 games, closing in on Kolo Touré's record of 352. The Fulham midfielder reached the milestone during Saturday's 1-1 draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park, overtaking Mohamed Salah who sits on 328.
Iwobi's tally spans three clubs: 100 appearances for Arsenal, 123 for Everton, and 106 for Fulham since joining the Cottagers. At 30, he needs 24 more games to surpass Touré's mark—a target realistically achievable this season if he maintains his current playing time.
"But I'm trying to break the record, I think Kolo Touré is up there, so I'll keep my eyes going forward and see if I can break that," Iwobi told FFC TV. The Ivorian legend Touré set his record across spells at Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool between 2002 and 2016.
For Nigerian fans tracking Premier League history, Iwobi's pursuit adds another chapter to the country's growing legacy in England's top flight—joining Jay-Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, and John Obi Mikel among notable Nigerian contributors.
Will Iwobi catch Touré before season's end, or will injury and rotation slow the chase?