Why Theo Walcott Must Snub Everton And Southampton To Join Newcastle United
Arsenal attacker Theo Walcott seems set to make an exit from the club this January and Everton, Southampton and Newcastle United are understood to be the interested parties. The Gunners are comfortable with the idea of letting him leave and he could prove to be a valuable addition to either of these clubs. However, with the January window up and running, no formal announcement has been made yet. That said, which club should Walcott consider joining?
The player joined Arsenal in 2006 from Southampton and he did seem like an outstanding prospect at that point. He has put in some sensational performances over his tenure at the Emirates Stadium and has scored more than 100 goals for the club.
Known for his blinding pace and goalscoring skills, Walcott, who currently earns £110,000-a-week, was one of Arsenal’s most promising players but then a slew of injuries ate away at his time on the field and it was not long before Arsene Wenger had to turn to other options. Since then, Walcott has been seemingly iced out of the squad.
Now with the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Alex Iwobi, Danny Welbeck and Alexandre Lacazette vying for regular starting spots, Walcott has found it increasingly tough to feature. Although his contract runs until 2019, he has struggled quite a bit for game time and an exit seems like the best option for him.
However, it makes no sense for him to go back to his former club, Southampton. To be fair, the Saints are in need of a new attacker but they could potentially be embroiled in a relegation battle and it might be a risky choice for Walcott.
Everton, meanwhile, are being linked with signing strikers like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and also have Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has proven to be quite resourceful. That said, Newcastle United seem like the ideal destination for him. The Magpies started off on a strong note but their power has fizzled out lately. They are in dire need of new attackers and a player with Walcott’s experience can truly work wonders for the club.
Initially, they were touted as one of the favourites to achieve a top-6 finish but they are at 13th place at present. Walcott could help them regain lost ground since his direct plays would suit the club’s manner of attacking. Also, his pace and guile could provide Rafa Benitez with an interesting advantage in the final third. Moreover, Matt Ritchie’s form has been anything but consistent this season and given Walcott’s potency, he could benefit by making a move to the Tyneside.