Everton prepare £20m bid to revive Walcott’s career
Club ready to match Arsenal forward’s wages Wright blasts Wenger over lack of leadership
Everton are poised to make a £20million bid for Theo Walcott, following the forward’s latest setback at Arsenal.
Walcott was left on the bench for Arsenal’s Carabao Cup goalless draw with Chelsea, with Alex Iwobi playing, even though the latter had broken club rules by partying ahead of the FA Cup defeat by Nottingham Forest.
Despite promising that Iwobi would be punished, Wenger started the 21-year-old at Chelsea and also preferred Danny Welbeck to Walcott after deciding to relegate Alexis Sanchez to the substitutes’ bench.
Sanchez, who Arsenal are growing resigned to losing to Manchester City this month, stepped off the bench, but Walcott was once again a spectator.
That has increased the chances of Walcott ending his 12-year stay at Arsenal this month and Everton are in pole position, ahead of Southampton, to land the England international.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger would prefer Walcott to stay at the Emirates, but could be prepared to let him go if Welbeck remains fit and Olivier Giroud does not suffer an injury setback.
Everton hope that an offer in the region of £20 million will be enough to tempt Wenger into selling, while they are also ready to match Walcott’s £110,000-aweek wages.
Having signed striker Cenk Tosun, Everton manager Sam Allardyce wants to add pace to his attack and believes Walcott could reignite his career at Goodison Park. Allardyce also thinks he can give Walcott the chance to make a late run to try to force his way into England’s World Cup squad, however unlikely that may seem at the moment.
Walcott has yet to start a Premier League game this season and has been left out of Wenger’s matchday squad when all of the club’s attackers have been available.
Walcott, 28, has scored 108 goals in 12 years at Arsenal and has made 47 appearances for England, scoring eight times.
Southampton are prepared to offer Walcott the chance to go back to the club where he started his career, but would have to convince him to join a relegation fight.
Wenger defended his decision to play Iwobi so soon after he broke club rules, but the move sparked criticism from Ian Wright, the former Arsenal striker.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Wright said: “For a young player to go out and do that with Arsenal going through what they’re going through now; experienced players wanting to leave, there’s no leadership; Arsene Wenger should have made a better stance on this. A stronger stance.
“People laugh at us [Arsenal]. They see it as a bit of a joke with what’s going on at the moment – players don’t want to be there. It just feels like we are losing control.
“What’s it saying to Theo? He’s got a youngster that’s gone out less than 48 hours before the game, still plays in that game, plays in this game and you can’t get a game in front of him. You’ve got to start thinking about your own future.”