Walcott to leave Arsenal?
Theo Walcott has reportedly failed to reach an agreement with Arsenal over a contract extension
Arsenal have reportedly failed to reach an agreement with England winger Theo Walcott over a contract extension.
The 23-year-old, whose contract expires in 2013, is said to want to stay and is willing to continue negotiations.
However, various newspaper reports claim Arsenal will sell him before Friday's transfer deadline unless he signs an improved five-year deal worth £75,000 a week.
Walcott joined Arsenal from Southampton as a 16-year-old in 2006.
He started the home draw with Sunderland on the opening day of the season but was left on the bench for Sunday's draw at Stoke, eventually coming on after 72 minutes in the Gunners' second straight 0-0 draw.
Walcott's departure would come as a blow to the Gunners after he scored 11 goals last season and was one of the main suppliers of Robin van Persie's 37 goals.
However he has often been criticised for a lack of consistency and at both club and international level and Arsenal colleague Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was preferred by England manager Roy Hodgson at Euro 2012.
If Walcott does leave he would join an ever-increasing list of high-profile players to depart the Emirates a year before their contracts expired.
Earlier this month Van Persie joined Manchester United for a deal thought to be around £24million, while Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri moved to Manchester City last summer and midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Alex Song have both joined Barcelona in the last year.
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I think we need big changes at Arsenal. Theo has pace, thats about it. Like peter llyod said, he has never reached expectations. We have the Ox who already looks a better player than him and is a lot younger. If we get £15 mil for him I will be happy. I just hope Wenger uses the money to strenghthen elsewhere. . . .
ps. Their are too many under preforming players in the squad who are on fantasy football salaries, it's time Wenger sold them & the rest of the deadwood aswell.
It just goes to show how good Walcott really is, the 2 Manchester clubs or Barca are not breaking their necks to sign him.
Theo, be a good boy and sign, because you won't get a better offer after being a bench warming has-been for a season.
While you are at it Arsene, do a buy 1 get 2 free offer, perm any 3 from the 7 or 8 bozos getting paid, just to turn up. IF A PLAYER HASN'T GOT PRIDE IN THE SHIRT, DUMP THEM!!
£15 Million for a player who puts in at best half a dozen decent performances a season is good business. Far too inconsistant to be a top player. However, he can do a job for Arsenal. Would be a disaster if we sell him and get no replacement. If we sell and bring in a top winger then I will be a very happy man. The lack of service from wide positions, on the ground or in the air, to our strikers is what cost us the wins against Sunderland and Stoke. Walcott and Gervinho are both terrible in this part of the game and unless the service to the forwards improves we will not see too much improvement from Arsenal's attacking play. Selling Walcott for someone who can actually play a pass in the opposition 3rd and dumping waste-of-space Gervinho to the bench for the Ox would, in my opinion, greatly strengthen our forward line. Besides, Walcott is an idiot. He should sign any contract Arsenal offer because there is no way in hell he's gonna get into the starting 11 of any club better than Arsenal. If given the choice, I would rather keep Walcott because I doubt Wenger would be too quick to replace him. However, getting £15 mil for him and reinvesting in a consistant winger would be the best bit of business Arsenal have done this summer. I don't mind players going if we get replacements in but we already have a huge Alex Song-shaped hole in our midfield and we don't need the same thing on our right wing.
who has got at theo walcott/ 19 million pounds gauranteed over 5 years/
get rid of him arsen /and he claims to want to stay at arsenal.
the stupid fickle arsenal fans should respect venger for making a stand against these mostly medeocre one footed players.its time the clubs woke up and saw the road they are going down.
A as "closet" Gooneer, this seems to be a good time to make a change of ball supplier. Walcott has pace, but not much delivery. Getting 15m for Theo, and maybe pick up Scott Sinclair for 10m makes good sense. Sinclair is too good to warm Citty's bench, and Walcott needs motivation to be more consistent.
No team will ever get 100% from anyone playing for the wages! Arsenal lack passion in their play, and in some of their players.
Arsenal were so crap last year they spanked Chelsea 5-3 on their own ground and we were understrength.
Bit of a silly comment 'telling the truth'.
How can we be crap and finish above Chelsea in the league. What does that make you ???
I admit you did have a couple of embarrassing wins in the semi and final to make you CL winners.
