Wildest rumour of the season - Theo Walcott

Nostromo Sun 29 Jul 2012, 12:35 pm

I've posted this for a laugh. It's in the Daily Mirror, so that's the first reason it's nonsense. The second reason it's nonsense is that Saints would never pay someone £100,000 a week.

Southampton have shown their intent for a first season back in the Premier League – by making an audacious enquiry about Arsenal and England winger Theo Walcott.

Arsenal remain hopeful of seeing off interest from Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham and now Southampton, and will this week reopen talks with Walcott’s advisers over the 23-year-old’s future.

The Gunners will also attempt to underline their ambitions by stepping up efforts to push through the signing of Santi Cazorla from Malaga, while also considering a season-long loan of Nuri Sahin from Real Madrid.

But the newly promoted Saints want to take Walcott back to his first sporting home.

They have become the latest club to ask about Walcott’s availability and were not put off by the fact they would have to pay at least £15million and £100,000-a-week in wages to secure his signature.

Southampton chairman Nicola Cortese has made a claim to new and prospective signings that the club can challenge for a Champions League place in the next three years.

But even if Walcott decided to quit the Emirates, Southampton would face a near-impossible battle to convince him to snub interest from Chelsea, Liverpool, City and Tottenham to return to the South Coast.

Cortese and manager Nigel Adkins want to make a signing to back up their bold claims that Saints can muscle their way into Europe.

They view Walcott, who grew up at Southampton and made 21 League appearances before joining Arsenal as a 16-year-old, as the perfect man.

Walcott has just 12 months of his Arsenal contract.

I'd love to see Theo back here but can't see it happening, not on those terms.