Theo Walcott has no intention of leaving Arsenal despite the club’s interest in signing Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, a reliable source has told ESPN FC.
Walcott, 27, was dropped to the bench for the last few months this past season and was overlooked by England coach Roy Hodgson for his European Championship squad.
Those setbacks had led to speculation that the former Southampton forward could move on after a decade at the club.
However, a source with knowledge of Walcott’s plans has told ESPN FC that the forward wants to stay and fight for a place at Arsenal, despite the club waiting to hear whether Leicester striker Vardy will accept an offer to join this summer.
Arsenal have triggered Vardy’s release clause at Leicester, but the striker did not make a decision about a move before he flew out to France with England for the Euros earlier this week. However, a source has told ESPN FC that the Gunners remain confident the player will choose to join them.
Vardy, who could play up front or on the wing for Arsenal, offers the same sort of pace as Walcott but the Leicester man scored 24 league goals this past season compared to Walcott’s five.
The Daily Telegraph reported on Tuesday that Arsenal have assured Walcott that he has a future at the club, but that his main role will again be as a winger rather than a centre-forward.
Walcott has played out wide for most of his career but has often expressed a desire to play in the middle. He became Wenger’s first-choice striker at the start of last season only for Olivier Giroud to reclaim that role.
He now faces added competition on the wing from newcomer Alex Iwobi, who broke into the first team with a number of convincing displays.
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