Marco Silva has challenged Alex Iwobi to continue providing “high-quality, creativity and goals” as the deadline-day signing aims to build on an impressive start to his Everton career.
The 23-year-old forward has scored in each of his first two starts for the Blues, finding the back of the net with accomplished headers in Everton’s 4-2 Carabao Cup victory at Lincoln City and 3-2 Premier League success against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Iwobi’s speed, penetration and intelligent use of the ball has seen him seamlessly slot into manager Silva’s progressive Everton team.
And having already showcased his goalscoring instinct, Silva has backed Iwobi to continue providing decisive contributions in the final third of the pitch.
“It is something I will demand from him more and more,” the manager told evertontv.
"With the quality he has – I am 100 per cent sure he will give important things for us.
“He will give high quality in our attack. He can provide creativity playing from the left or behind the striker as an offensive midfielder.
“And if he can – and I am sure he can – score more goals, it will help the team.
“The first time I met with him, it was something I put in his mind [his ability to score goals].
“If you look at our wingers and the players in forward positions, it is something I demand from them.
“Richarlison scored many, many goals last season, Theo scored some.
“I want more from the other two [Iwobi and Bernard].
“Bernard started the season with a goal in the second game which was important for him. Alex has done the same thing now.”
Iwobi has been in international action for Nigeria this week, starting as his country battled out a 2-2 draw in a friendly match against Ukraine in Dnipro on Tuesday.
His attention will now turn to sustaining his fine Everton form when the Toffees take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday (2pm).
Everton have scored a total of seven goals in Iwobi’s two starting appearances, and Silva believes the forward’s blend of attributes have added a fresh dimension to the Toffees’ attack.
“He has quality in that final decision," Silva explained. "In our attack he is a really important player.
“He can see the space, he can see the solutions, he can see his teammates in the best position to score.
“In those moments he will help us, because in our last decision he will raise the level of our squad.”
Iwobi was one of seven international footballers signed by Everton during the summer, with Jonas Lössl, Andre Gomes, Fabian Delph, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Moise Kean and Djibril Sidibe also joining Silva’s ranks.
Jonjoe Kenny, meanwhile, was one of the players to depart Everton - albeit on a temporary basis. The 22-year-old Academy graduate joined German side Schalke 04 on a season-long loan and has made an eye-catching start to the campaign for the Bundesliga outfit.
He has played every minute of Schalke’s opening three league games and scored his first senior goal as his team beat Hertha Berlin 3-0. Kenny's performances have seen him nominated for the Bundesliga's Rookie of the Month award.
Everton Under-23s striker Fraser Hornby also secured a loan move at a top-flight European club, the Scot joining Belgian side KV Kortrijk.
The 19-year-old is in line to make his Kortrijk debut against Royal Excel Mouscron on Sunday.
Everton boss Silva believes the experience of playing abroad will help both young players return to the Blues as more rounded players and characters.
“It is really important, in some moments, to be out of your comfort zone,” Silva explained.
“New challenges will come to you and different things will appear for you.
“Jonjoe Kenny is playing a high level in a really, really good competition, in a very good club.
“Fraser Hornby will benefit a lot from playing in Belgium. It is a really good move for him also.
“It is always important when you take them out of their comfort zones, and they have to show their quality.”
