Everton agree fee for Walcott - sources

Published on: 16 January 2018

Arsenal veteran Theo Walcott is close to completing a £20 million move to Everton, ending a 12-year stint with the Gunners, sources have told ESPN FC.

Walcott, Arsenal's longest-serving player, has yet to start a Premier League game this season and Arsene Wenger has sanctioned a move away for the winger.

He is set to undergo a medical in the next 24 hours with only minor details left to be hammered out between the two clubs, sources said, as he looks to revive his career under Sam Allardyce at Goodison Park.

Walcott joined Arsenal from Southampton as a 16-year-old in 2016 and has scored 108 goals for the Gunners, but his career has been plagued by injuries and he often struggled to cement a regular role in Wenger's lineup even when fit. He has only scored more than 10 league goals in one of his 11 full seasons with the club, finishing with 14 in 2012-13.

Last season's haul of 19 goals in all competitions was the second-best tally of his career, but he found himself without a natural role in the team once Wenger switched to a back-three formation.

Walcott is hoping regular playing time at Everton could resurrect his chances of representing England at the World Cup in Russia this summer. Walcott has never played in a World Cup, despite being included in Sven-Goran Eriksson's 2006 squad as a 17-year-old.

Everton are in the market for forward reinforcements this month as Sam Allardyce, a long-term admirer of Walcott, looks to add more goals to his side.

The Toffees have failed to win of their last five Premier League games, scoring just one goal, and Allardyce hopes Walcott can help solve their scoring issues.

Should Walcott come through his medical without any problems, he will become Everton's second signing of the month following the arrival of Turkey international Cenk Tosun from Besiktas.

ESPN FC's Peter O'Rourke contributed to this report.

Source: espn.co.uk

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