According to the Liverpool Echo, Theo Walcott will not leave Everton before the summer transfer window shuts. The 31-year-old is coming off the back of a disappointing campaign and finds himself behind James Rodriguez, Richarlison, Alex Iwobi, Anthony Gordon and Bernard in the pecking order.
Walcott has been left out of the matchday squad in our last two Premier League games and his only appearance this season came in our EFL Cup win over Salford City. Carlo Ancelotti says competition for places is fierce and doesn’t enjoy dropping Walcott. He also played down talk of a move before October 5, so Theo should be with us until January at least. Yay?
Ancelotti explains Walcott’s absence
Walcott was an unused substitute in our 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur (September 13), played 90 minutes in our EFL Cup win over Salford City (September 16), was left out of the matchday squad in our 5-2 win over West Bromwich Albion (September 19), was an unused substitute in our EFL Cup win over Fleetwood Town (September 23) and was left out of the matchday squad in our 2-1 win over Crystal Palace (September 26).
Ancelotti explained why the 31-year-old has barely featured this season, saying: “He was out because the rule is to bring only 18 players, so he was out of the squad. I don’t think (Walcott will leave before the transfer window shuts). The problem is the competition is really high in this moment.
“Sometimes it can happen that a player, like Theo, is not involved. Unfortunately, this is the decision I have to take and I am not absolutely happy to take this kind of decision, to leave out a player like Walcott.”
The Englishman has made 84 appearances in all competitions since joining from Arsenal in January 2018, scoring 11 goals with nine assists. He endured his worst Everton season in 2019/20, scoring only two goals with three assists in 25 Premier League appearances, so it’s not a surprise that he’s on the periphery.
Ancelotti has preferred a front three of Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James, with Iwobi, Gordon and Bernard providing cover. There isn’t room for an out-of-form Walcott.
Finding a suitor would be difficult
Ancelotti was open to selling Walcott earlier this summer but may be resigned to keep him as there wasn’t a lot of interest. The 31-year-old has been in poor form for 12 months, earns £5.2m-a-year/£100k-a-week and has a market value of £10.8m. He wouldn’t be worth signing.
Walcott is in the last year of his deal at Everton and may not be handed a contract extension, so we may be talking about his uncertain future again in the coming weeks and months.