Walcott is another one of those boyhood Liverpool fans, an admirer of the club who has visited Anfield with opposition sides and no doubt envied the support offered by the Liverpool faithful.
Speculation about Liverpool’s interest in Walcott has been present since the early Summer and it appears that the players contractual issues with Arsenal mean they are now ready to admit defeat and move the player on. Should Liverpool want the player, which it seems they do, they will be knocking at an open door.
In six years at Arsenal, Walcott has failed to live up to the lofty expectations that the media placed on his shoulders from day one. His inclusion, and lack of game time, in the England squad for the 2006 World Cup heaped huge pressure on the then 17 year old and he has struggled to consistently live up to this ever since. It is hard to forget he is only 23 and has ten years in the game ahead of him, something Liverpool should consider when arguing over the fee with Arsenal.
A figure of £12m has been suggested as being the number Arsenal would consider and, with Rodgers an admirer of the gifted forward, it appears that availability of funds will be the only issue. When you consider that Liverpool have added Joe Allen for £15m, I can not see Rodgers letting Walcott slip away at this price, not when you consider his potential resale value – something that will certainly encourage FSG to go for him.
While Liverpool fans may be divided on whether or not Walcott is a ‘Liverpool player’, there can be no argument that the boy has something about him, particularly in a team that would benefit from adding pace and aggression to the forward line. It is also worth noting that Brendan Rodgers has already shown how he is capable of taking raw talent and adding significant value to it. You only need to look at Joe Allen and Scott Sinclair to see how effective Rodgers methods are.
Walcott may have a lot to learn, he may be raw and he may lack an end product. What he may be lacking the most though is the right place to play his football, and a mentor who he believes in. Rodgers and Liverpool looks to fit the bill. Don’t be surprised to see Walcott wearing the Liver bird at Anfield this season and, given time and the loyal Anfield support, becoming a worthy addition to an increasingly youthful and improved squad.