Southampton: The pros and cons of a reunion for Theo Walcott

Former Southampton forward Theo Walcott has this week been linked with a January move back to St Mary’s after a lack of game time at his current club Arsenal.

In an exclusive from Tony Banks of the Daily Express, it is claimed that Walcott will be looking for a route out of the Emirates after falling well down the pecking order behind the Gunners’ other attacking options.

Having left Southampton in 2006 and being one of their many academy products to be promoted up to the first team before going onto bigger things, moving back to a club he knows well could help Walcott rediscover his form and resolve Saints’ attacking shortcomings.

In this article, I will be looking at the potential positives and negatives if Saints were to bring him back to the south-coast in the January window and whether the move could suit both parties in the longer term.

Positives of a Saints move for Walcott

Saints have struggled to score and create goal-scoring chances for most of the past 13 months, and Walcott would certainly add something different to a somewhat failing forward line. His direct running, pace and power are qualities that Saints have missed since Sadio Mane left the club, and the effectiveness of their attacks could see improvement if Walcott was brought back to the club.

More from Saints Marching

Southampton’s tally of just five goals in seven league games this season confirms an attacking problem, but Walcott certainly brings an impressive career attacking record with him. His 185 career goals and assists mean that he has scored or assisted a goal every 130.6 minutes, and that statistic was down as low as every 118.8 minutes last season; significantly higher than the 405.3 minutes that current Saints winger Nathan Redmond took between each goal or assist.

(stats taken from transfermarkt.co.uk, and cover all competitions)

A move to Saints could also revive Walcott’s international career. Like at Arsenal, he is also out of favour with England boss Gareth Southgate with next summer’s World Cup rapidly approaching. In the past, Walcott has been an England regular and he has managed to gain 47 international caps so far. He will surely be hungry to add to this figure as he reaches the mid-point of his career, and with chances to play at major international tournaments decreasing.

Having an experienced pro around at Southampton each day could also prove fruitful for the club itself. Walcott is one of the many high quality youth products that their famed academy has produced, and he sets an example of the heights that current and future youth talents can reach if they apply themselves in the right ways. Therefore, players at both youth and senior level at the club, and particularly those faltering attacking players, would need to up their game to match Walcott.

Negatives of a Saints move for Walcott

The injection of vast sums of money into the Premier League mean that the £12-15m fee that the Express claims Walcott could command would not be a problem for Saints, but the player’s wage demands could be more tricky to meet. His reported £100,000+ per week wages aren’t totally out of Saints’ league, but would be right at the top of their strict wage structure.

Saints would also have to make sure they would be getting a motivated and hungry Walcott who is ready to significantly improve the team. He has been subject to questions over his consistency over career, and many debates have been had about whether he plays best as a winger or as a striker. The last thing Saints need is another inconsistent attacking player who can’t be relied on often enough.

Although Walcott knows the club well and will be attracted by the ways in which it works and strives for success, significant steps towards the top-end of the Premier League and European football may have to be taken to entice Walcott further. After sampling Champions League football for a long time at Arsenal, he will want to continue playing at the highest level he can. This is still achievable for the talent we know there is in Saints’ squad, but will be ever more difficult in a hugely competitive league.

Next: Southampton 2017/18 season review: Septemeber

Conclusion

In conclusion, the positives of a January move for Walcott outweigh the negatives for a misfiring Saints side. Walcott is a quality player who needs a move to revitalise his career, and who better to do that than a Southampton club that he knows so well.

However, with the Express also claiming that Inter Milan, Everton and West Ham are interested in his services, they will need to be strong to fight off other potential suitors.