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Walcott fight for Gunner future

Arsenal star Theo Walcott willing to fight for place under Arsene Wenger despite being £20m target for West Ham

Walcott is determined to fight for his Arsenal future but could drop even further down the pecking order if Thomas Lemar joins Alexandre Lacazette at the Emirates

ARSENAL star Theo Walcott has vowed to fight for his Emirates future, despite the club pushing to land Monaco winger Thomas Lemar.

Walcott, 28 is a summer target for West Ham who are prepared to shell out £20million for the England international who has two years to left on his current deal.

 Theo Walcott wants to fight to stay at Arsenal despite interest from West Ham
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Theo Walcott wants to fight to stay at Arsenal despite interest from West HamCredit: Getty Images
 Arsene Wenger is pushing to sign Monaco star Thomas Lemar
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Arsene Wenger is pushing to sign Monaco star Thomas LemarCredit: Getty Images

SunSport exclusively revealed last week the Lemar has agreed terms with the Gunners and has told French champions he wants to move to the Premier League this summer.

A fee has yet to be finalised but it is likely to be around £35m, with add-ons pushing the fee up by a further £10m.

Lemar could follow Sead Kolasinac and Lyon striker Aleaxndre Lacazette through the door this summer to add even more competition for Walcott who started 23 league games last season.

According to the Daily Star, the attacker has told close friends he has no intention of leaving the Emirates this summer.

Walcott’s 11 years at Arsenal make him the longest serving player in the current squad, and he is determined to extend his stay under Arsene Wenger who signed him as a kid from Southampton.

The winger returned to pre-season training at London Colney last week determined to cement his place in Wenger’s starting line-up against Leicester City in the opening league game next month.


Theo Walcott factfile

  • Theo Walcott, aged, 28, was born in Stanmore, Middlesex.
  • A former Southampton trainee on £90 a week, Walcott left for Arsenal in a £6million move in January, 2006.
  • Five months later Walcott found himself catapaulted into England's World Cup squad in Germany under Sven Goran Erikssen.
  • He didn't appear in the World Cup but was voted BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2006.
  • Walcott scored five senior goals for Saints in 23 appearances; at Arsenal he has netted 104 times in 291 games, 138 of them as a substitute
  • He has played for England on 47 occasions, scoring eight goals.
  • In 2008 became the youngest player in history to score a hat-trick for England against Coatia.
  • In 2016 Walcott appeared in an advert for Adidas, showing off his skills in dribbling and flicking a ball into the open top of a wheelie bin.
 Walcott in deep conversation with Arsene Wenger at London Colney
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Walcott in deep conversation with Arsene Wenger at London ColneyCredit: Getty Images
 Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey got cosy for a long flight to the Far East for pre-season
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Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey got cosy for a long flight to the Far East for pre-seasonCredit: Instagram
 Slaven Bilic wants to add Theo Walcott to his ranks this summer
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Slaven Bilic wants to add Theo Walcott to his ranks this summerCredit: Getty Images
 Walcott faces huge competition with arrival of Alexandre Lacazette
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Walcott faces huge competition with arrival of Alexandre LacazetteCredit: Getty Images

Walcott was part of the touring party that headed to the Far East on a plane on Sunday night.

Despite a strong start to last term bagging 11 goals before the new year, the winger fell down the pecking order at the Emirates and lost his place in the England squad under new boss Gareth Southgate.

Walcott knows he will play more games at the London Stadium under Hammers boss Slaven Bilic but is confident he can prove his worth in North London next season.



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