Theo Walcott names the Chelsea transfer target he ‘wouldn’t be against’ Arsenal signing

Theo Walcott remains hopeful Arsenal volition motion a caller striker earlier the January transportation model slams shut.

The Gunners person made a determination for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins this week but their Premier League rivals person rebuffed an opening bid.

England striker Watkins is understood to beryllium keen connected a move to the nine helium supported arsenic a lad but Unai Emery remains adamant that the 29-year-old volition not beryllium sold, particularly successful airy of Jhon Duran’s daze departure.

It remains to beryllium seen whether oregon not Arsenal trial the waters with a 2nd bid but Walcott has suggested an alternate people it Ipswich’s Liam Delap.

The 21-year-old joined the Tractor Boys successful the summertime from Manchester City and has impressed with his combative benignant and goalscoring instincts that person seen him deed the backmost of the nett connected 8 occasions truthful far.

Arsenal person besides been linked with a indebtedness determination for Brighton’s Evan Ferguson, but Walcott believes Delap, who is precocious connected Chelsea’s wanted list,would correspond a smarter portion of business.

Speaking arsenic Guinness denote their caller #TransferThatPint campaign, Walcott voiced concerns astir a imaginable determination for Ferguson, saying: ‘I deliberation he’s a bully player. He’s had a spot of an wounded and recovered it hard to get backmost successful which is understandable.

‘Brighton are rather a dependable coagulated squad and the players he’s brought successful from Watford, Joao Pedro, has travel successful and really gone up of him.

‘He’ll beryllium a subordinate for maine if they couldn’t get their main target, it’s a bully enactment to have, knowing possibly you could resell him astatine immoderate point.

‘I deliberation he’d person to judge that helium wouldn’t beryllium a starter.’

On Delap’s credentials, helium added: ‘I deliberation they would look much astatine Liam Delap earlier Ferguson, due to the fact that of what he’s done up until now. And they person akin attributes, their benignant of the play.

‘I wouldn’t shy against it, due to the fact that it’s different. And you look astatine Arsenal’s acceptable pieces and it’s different subordinate of stature to deliberation astir it. It’s different dynamic.

‘I wouldn’t beryllium against thing similar that. They bash request a earthy fig nine. There are not galore earthy fig nines.

‘And it’s not going to beryllium £60/80 cardinal for Ferguson, nary disrespect.

‘But there’s imaginable determination and Mikel has that estimation for moving with young players. He’s moving with Ethan Nwaneri close now.

‘I wouldn’t beryllium against it if they don’t get their main target. Not a stopgap, that sounds awful, but portion they hold for their main fig nine.’

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