Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has ruled out Theo Walcott leaving the club in January.
Walcott will return to the Arsenal starting XI on Thursday after a six-game absence following reports a number of Premier League clubs are chasing his signature.
Everton, Southampton and West Ham have all been credited with an interest in the 28-year-old ahead of the January transfer window but they may all have to consider alternatives.
Walcott has barely featured for Arsenal this season and will need regular playing time in the Premier League in the second half of the campaign to have any chance of being picked for the 2018 World Cup.
It’s been more than 12 months since Walcott last played for England and he will almost certainly miss out on Gareth Southgate’s squad in Russia if things do not improve drastically before the end of the campaign.
The promise of regular playing time elsewhere may convince Walcott to leave Arsenal after more than a decade at the club, but Wenger insists he is going no where.
“He works hard to come back - he had a sickness a few weeks ago - and after I didn’t change the squad,” The Daily Telegraph quote Wenger as saying on Wednesday. “In training he looks sharp and he will show that.” Asked whether he would keep Walcott in January, Wenger replied: “Yes”.
Walcott has only managed 47 minutes of playing time in the Premier League this season spread over three substitute appearances, but will be looking to build on two goals and one assist in four Europa League appearances on Thursday.
