Charlie Nicholas thinks Theo Walcott should have joined Southampton, not Everton

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Everton travel to take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon.

Pundit Charlie Nicholas has told Sky Sports that he thinks Theo Walcott should have signed for Southampton in January, not Everton.

Everton are on their travels today as they head to the Emirates Stadium to take on Arsenal, with Marco Silva desperately looking for a response to last week’s 3-1 defeat to West Ham United.

The game also sees winger Walcott return to Arsenal for the second time since leaving the Gunners to sign for Everton during the January transfer window earlier this year.

Walcott, 29, spent 12 years with Arsenal having joined from Southampton as a teenager back in 2006, but he failed to really live up to his true potential during his time at the Emirates Stadium.

After 108 goals in 397 games for Arsenal, Walcott moved on to Everton, and has so far notched five goals in 20 games for Everton, with the winger no doubt hoping to add to his tally today.

Walcott will be key to any good Everton result, with Silva hoping his pace can trouble Nacho Monreal at left back – and one Gunners hero has offered his view on Walcott’s move eight months ago.

Charlie Nicholas has told Sky Sports that he thinks Walcott should’ve actually re-signed for former club Southampton in January, who attempted to sign Walcott before Everton blew them out of the water financially with a £110,000-a-week deal (The Times), with Nicholas suggesting that he would have suited Southampton’s style of play better.

“I think he’s done okay since joining Everton, he’s been one of their better players out of the new signings and has got a few goals,” said Nicholas. “Everyone knows Theo Walcott needs a lot of chances to find the back of the net and it’s a question of whether he suits the style at Everton, which he and his team-mates are still adapting to under Marco Silva. Was it the right move for his career? I didn’t think so. He was at that point where no one knew whether he was a centre forward or a winger, and it looks like he’s playing on the right for Everton.”

“I actually thought he would go back to Southampton – and he nearly did, but I believe Everton offered him a better package and you can’t blame him for that. They say don’t go back, but he left St Mary’s as a fresh-faced youngster and I think the move there would have done him good with their style of play. It will be interesting to see how he does against his old club on Sunday,” he added.