Transfer Centre

Sam Allardyce: 'Theo Walcott can play wherever he likes'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 15 January 2018

Sam Allardyce hopes to bring in Theo Walcott from Arsenal over the "next week or two", as he promises to use the Englishman in whatever position he likes.

Everton manager Sam Allardyce has tempted Theo Walcott into joining the club from Arsenal by telling the England international that he can play wherever he likes in the frontline.

Walcott is a £20m target for the Toffees after struggling for minutes in the Premier League this term, being used six times from the bench and failing to start a single game.

Allardyce has already admitted that he is keen to sign the versatile attacker, who has been used in a variety of positions by Arsene Wenger during his 12-year spell at the Emirates Stadium.

In a fresh ploy to persuade Walcott to make the move, Allardyce told reporters: "I don't know where I would play him until we get the deal done. When that deal's done, I can have that conversation.

"I see him playing anywhere across the front three - but I'm presuming if he's not comfortable with that, then he will tell us and it won't happen. That's if we can get that far.

"I hope we can do it in the next week or two because I think we are still waiting for catch-up on Yannick Bolasie and James McCarthy. They have both been out more than 12 months, so they aren't quite as good as we know they can be - but they will get better."

Allardyce is also hopeful of offloading a couple of players this month to fund the transfer of Cenk Tosun from Besiktas and the likely arrival of Walcott.