West Ham United await Jamie Vardy’s decision on his potential move to Arsenal as they look to land Walcott.
West Ham United are interested in signing Arsenal and England winger Theo Walcott. As West Ham prepare to move to their new home, the Olympic Stadium in London, the board prepares to land one marquee signing for their manager Slaven Bilic.
Arsenal are looking to secure the signing of Jamie Vardy for a fee believed to be in the region of £20 million by activating the release clause for the England striker. If Vardy were to sign for Arsenal, it could prompt Walcott to look elsewhere in search for regular play-time after spending a decade at the London club. According to a report in the Express, West Ham United are willing to shell out £25 million in order to land the 27-year-old. However, the deal could stall with respect to Walcott’s wages. His current wage demands are at a £140,000-a-week which is well above the wage structure of West Ham, making Walcott the highest earning player if he were to go there.
Joining West Ham has many advantages for Theo Walcott as he can remain in London as well as joining a club which has ambitions. They also have a core of players who are exciting and keen to succeed. It is also important for Arsenal that they do not sell Walcott to their direct rivals, and avoid repeating the same mistake when they allowed Robin van Persie to Manchester United in 2012. That sale led to widespread criticism of Wenger and the Arsenal board as van Persie played a major role in helping Manchester United win the Premier League.
A new project could revive Walcott’s struggling career
After joining Arsenal from Southampton in 2006, Walcott came into the club as a bright young England prospect who had electric speed and potential to become the poster boy of English football. However, after 10 years of inconsistency, Walcott seems to have fallen out of favor with the Arsenal faithful.
West Ham could provide Walcott a change in approach and manager, as he’s played his entire professional career under Wenger. He has been extremely unlucky with injuries and missed out on several major tournaments. The 27-year-old, many believe, still has a lot to offer on the top most level despite his disappointing years at Arsenal. His experience and know-how in the Premier League could prove extremely useful for West Ham if they are to establish themselves firmly in Europe in the seasons to come.
