Arsenal transfer news: Theo Walcott 'reassured' he has a future with the club by manager Arsene Wenger

Walcott has been linked with an Arsenal exit but a move back to the wing looks set to give him another season to prove himself

Theo Walcott has been 'reassured' by Arsene Wenger that he has a future at Arsenal (Getty)

Arsene Wenger has finally accepted that Theo Walcott is not suited to playing as a central striker for Arsenal, but the England forward will not be sold this summer after being given assurances that he has a future at the Emirates.

Arsenal’s £20m move for Jamie Vardy placed Walcott’s future at the club in major doubt, given he has failed to meet the high expectations that came with his arrival at the Emirates 10 years ago. With Olivier Giroud expected to stay at Arsenal, Walcott would be the likely candidate to leave should Wenger wish to offload one of his strikers, although the 10-month injury lay-off for Danny Welbeck could see the manager resist selling any of his attacking options.

According to The Telegraph, it’s the latter option that is now more likely after Walcott and Wenger held talks at the end of the season to discuss his role moving forward. After trying to develop Walcott into a central striker – having been compared to Thierry Henry during his early days at Arsenal – Wenger has now accepted that Walcott will remain a wide player.

The 27-year-old endured a frustrating season, and his failure to start a Premier League match following the 3-2 defeat by Manchester United in February ultimately cost him a place in Roy Hodgson’s England squad.

Wenger went into the 2015/16 season knowing that Welbeck would miss the bulk of the season with a knee injury, meaning he would have to depend on Giroud and Walcott to produce goals despite neither convincing the season before. The gamble backfired, with neither player able to inspire a title challenge, and no sooner had Welbeck returned from injury than he was thrown in as the lead striker – only to suffer a similar blow to rule him out for the rest of 2016.

Giroud suffered a disastrous start to 2016, going on a run of scoring just two goals in 21 games – both of which came in the FA Cup win over Hull in March – while Walcott could only manage five goals all season as he struggled for form and, once again, fitness.

West Ham have been linked with a move for Walcott along with rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, but with three years left to run on his contract, the Gunners are not in a rush to let Walcott go unless an offer arrives which they cannot refuse. The report adds that Walcott personally believes that his best chance of regaining his place in the England squad is by playing on the right, given that Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Vardy and even Welbeck – once he returns – are ahead of him in the pecking order to play as the Three lions’ lead striker.