DONE DEAL – Chelsea Target Signs Four Years Deal With Arsenal, To Earn £140,000-A-Week

After a long drawn out negotiation, BBC journalist, David Ornstein has reported that England forward has agreed terms on a contract extension that will keep him at the Emirates till 2019. This new deal will see Walcott earn £140,000 per week.  Theo Walcott who was linked with a move to Chelsea as a part of the Cech deal will now stay at Arsenal till he is in his 30s.

Theo Walcott’s previous contract was set to expire at the end of the new season and Arsenal have been on the negotiating table trying to tie the England forward to a new deal. It was a long drawn out process and at some point, it seemed as if both parties would never reach an agreement. However, an agreement has been reached and with his current cheque, Walcott will be among the club’s top earners.

Walcott was out for a long time last season as he picked up a knee injury against bitter London rivals Tottenham in an FA Cup match in January. However, upon returning from the treatment table, the striker hit top form and was instrumental in Arsenal’s late season push. He finished the season in goalscoring form as he opened the scoring in Arsenal’s 4-0 FA Cup final win against Aston Villa as the Gunners retained the FA Cup.

Walcott is known as a speed merchant with defenders having a hard time containing him. His composure and intelligent runs have also made him a thorn in the flesh of opposition defenders. The completion of this deal means that manager, Arsene Wenger can rely on his services as he provides an alternative to Olivier Giroud’s bullish and physical style upfront.

This deal is testament to Wengers comments on the clubs new commitment of building the team around core players by retaining the services of their top stars instead of losing them to other clubs as they look to mount a serious title challenge. Walcott is currently Arsenal’s longest serving player having signed from Southampton in 2006. He joined in a £12.5 million deal. He has gone on to score 50 goals in 208 league appearances albeit most of them having come from out wide rather than as a central striker which is his preferred position.