Reports have emerged that Arsenal might start receiving offers for Theo Walcott from Everton in January. The 28-year-old has managed to get only 780 minutes of game time this season, none of them as starts in the Premier League.
Sam Allardyce is currently scouting possible replacements to take the goal scoring pressure off of Wayne Rooney. With 11 goals to his name this season, Rooney is the leading man in the attacking lineup but might not have the legs to cope with the stress of top-flight English football. While still relatively young, Theo Walcott can make a fresh start in his career for the Toffees and fill the scoring demands of Allardyce.
The 17-year old teenage sensation who made his debut for Arsenal in 2006 was destined for great things. But after 12 years, the promise never came to life. Fallen way below the pecking order, the League cup match against West Ham United in the midweek is a testament to what the Stanmore-born forward’s career has fallen to.
Walcott’s £5m move from Southampton came with great expectation and he made it count in his early days by bursting down the right flank ghosting past defenders. His pace on the ball coupled with clinical finishing ability he was a nightmare for fullbacks and opposition managers.
He always had the ability to find the back of the net from the tightest angles and his finishing earned him great pomp, so much so that Wenger considered converting the pacey winger into an out-and-out striker.
A career that once promised so much has been blighted by injuries, inconsistent performances and a lack of winning mentality. Theo Walcott is now 28-years old, and far away from featuring for the three Lions. Gareth Southgate surely does not consider Walcott ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2018 as he has better options available and Wenger still chooses to introduce Walcott as an impact sub or a domestic cup match player.
If Walcott still does hold serious ambition to play for England in the World Cup in Russia, he will need regular game time which is unlikely to come at Arsenal. This leaves the former England star with a hard choice to make. He must decide to seek his fortunes elsewhere if he is to feature regularly for a team.
Walcott is said to be open-minded about his future and an exit from the North London club might be the right path to take at this juncture of his career.
