Southampton could now sell Theo Walcott before tonight’s transfer deadline, with the Saints on the verge of signing Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan.
According to Mike McGrath of the Telegraph. the south coast Premier League side could sell Walcott with Cardiff City reportedly interested in the 47-cap England international, with Southampton close to bringing in Maitland-Niles on loan from English rivals Arsenal with an option to buy.
The 33-year-old winger is yet to play a single minute for Southampton this season, with Ralph Hasenhuttl working on lowering the average age of the squad which this summer has seen the likes of Oriel Romeu, Shane Long and Fraser Forster leave St. Mary’s, with Walcott now set to join this growing list of departures.
With the attacker not playing at all for Southampton since the start of the new campaign, a move to the Championship could be perfect for Walcott at this stage of his career, with Cardiff an ideal destination for the former Everton and Arsenal superstar.
Southampton selling Walcott is the perfect way to cap window
Walcott has been a solid servant for Southampton since re-joining his boyhood club from Everton, yet with the winger not making the pitch and Championship interest high in the veteran attacker, leaving the Saints seems to be the ideal outcome for all parties involved.
Indeed, Walcott still has a lot to give even at the age of 33, and for Southampton, selling the former England international ahead of Maitland-Niles’ arrival will be a great way to end the transfer window and to cap off a great few months for the Saints.
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