Everton lead the race to sign Arsenal's Theo Walcott
Everton are confident that they can beat Theo Walcott's former club Southampton to his signature, if Arsenal decide to let the forward leave this month.
Ever since the England international has fallen to the periphery of Arsene Wenger's first-team plans, speculation over his future has been mounting. The 'Daily Mail' have reported that Everton have joined Southampton in the hunt for the Arsenal forward, estimated at £20million.
However, it is unclear whether the London club will consider letting Walcott leave. A fact that may hinge on the transfer situation of his team-mate Alexis Sanchez, with Wenger unlikely to sanction exits for both players without having replacements lined up.
A possible factor in the forward's destination could come from his current contract, worth £110,000 per week. Everton would certainly be in a position to get close to that figure, while Southampton's financial limitations could hinder their progress as the 28-year-old would need to take a pay cut to rejoin his boyhood team.
Another influence could be location, depending on whether Walcott prefers not to uproot his family from the south of England, which could side in Southampton's favour.
Either way with multiple factors in play, this transfer saga has the potential to rumble on for the whole of January.