Theo Walcott wanted by Manchester City as Pep Guardiola instructs club to monitor Arsenal forward’s situation

Pep talk: Guardiola is a keen admirer of the England international
Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
James Olley29 April 2016

EXCLUSIVE

Manchester City have added Arsenal forward Theo Walcott to their list of potential summer signings.

Incoming manager Pep Guardiola is a keen admirer of the 27-year-old and Standard Sport understands he has asked City to monitor Walcott’s situation closely as he faces a crossroads in his career at Emirates Stadium.

Walcott would find it very difficult to leave the Gunners having joined the club aged 16 and is not thought to be openly agitating for a move at this stage.

However, he is one of a number of players who has become increasing baffled by his treatment from manager Arsene Wenger in recent weeks as the team’s form has dipped alarmingly.

Arsenal have won just three of their last nine Premier League games as the title has slipped from their grasp but as one of the squad’s senior players, Walcott has been given precious little opportunity to arrest the decline; he last started a League game on February 28.

Walcott has disappointed in a series of cameo appearances from the bench and found himself the target of fierce fan criticism on social media, while there was a smattering of boos when introduced as a substitute during last week’s 2-0 win over West Brom.

That loss of form has led to serious doubts over whether he will be included in England’s Euro 2016 squad.

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Roy Hodgson has listed Walcott as a forward in previous get-togethers but he faces a tough fight even if five strikers are selected given the credentials of Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney, Jamie Vardy, Daniel Sturridge and his Arsenal team-mate Danny Welbeck.

Should Walcott miss out, his future would be even more uncertain. It is believed that talks are planned at the end of the season over his ongoing role at the club but Arsenal are in a strong position given he signed a four-year extension last summer, tying him to the club until 2019.

City would not find his £140,000-a-week wage prohibitive and are keen to bolster the number of English players in the squad as they attempt to meet Uefa regulations regarding homegrown talent.

Gunners midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is also under consideration for this reason although it is understood that Guardiola has been a fan of Walcott’s for much longer, dating back to his blistering game-changing appearance for Arsenal against the Spaniard’s Barcelona side in 2010.

Barca were leading 2-0 when Walcott came on during the second half but he scored Arsenal’s first goal and terrorised full-back Maxwell before Cesc Fabregas equalised with a late penalty.

The popular criticism of Walcott is that he has failed to train on significantly since those days but Guardiola remains keen, while Liverpool have also been mooted as a possible destination should Arsenal indicate a willingness to sell.

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