Arsenal FC are increasingly confident the forward will commit his long-term future to the club with a year to go to his contract, despite interest from Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC.
According to reports in the Telegraph, Arsenal FC will step up their efforts to agree a new long-term contract with Theo Walcott with the forward now back home from international duty with the English national team.
The Walcotta s current deal has only one year to run, prompting interest from long term admirers Liverpool FC and Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea FC. But, Arsenal are increasingly confident the 26-year-old will commit his long-term future to the club.
The reports say that although manager Arsene Wenger had feared a long and drawn-out process, there is now a willingness on both sides to find an agreement and talks should take place in the coming days.
Theo Walcott was delaying decision to sign a new contract with Arsenal FC owing to his doubts related to playing regular first-team football, but fears over his position in Wengera s squad were allayed by his inclusion in the FA Cup final in which he scored the opening goal for the gunners.
Chelsea FC manager Jose Mourinho is an admirer of Walcott, along with Liverpool FC counterpart Brendan Rodgers, but it appears both men will be disappointed in their hopes to sign the England international.
While Liverpool FC were hoping that the player who was a boyhood fan would chose to leave for first team football and Liverpool could be in pole position to offer him that, the club will now have to look elsewhere.
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Chelsea FC were hoping to involve the pacy Englishman in any deal for Petr Cech with Arsenal FC, but Walcott is now looking more and more likely to stay and sign a new deal. Walcott currently earns A?100,000-a-week at Arsenal FC and can expect a pay rise to take him close to the cluba s top earners Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, who pocket A?140,000-a-week.
Having allowed Walcott to focus on his time with England for the Republic of Ireland and Slovenia games, Arsenal FC now want to sort his contract situation out and make an early summer statement as the club look to mount a serious challenge to bring the title back for the first time since 2004.