Why would Chelsea even consider signing Theo Walcott from Arsenal?

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The Sun report today that the winger is a shock target for the Blues. It makes no sense to us at all.

For sale: Inconsistent winger, goes missing in big games, may never reach potential stardom, £10 million plus.

You can just hear Roman Abramovich now, “Yes that sounds like a bargain, sign him up.”

Or not.

Quite why Chelsea would want Theo Walcott is beyond me, especially if- and this is the most ludicrous part of the paper’s story- they decided to swap him for Daniel Sturridge.

Sturridge has been Chelsea’s player of the season so far, in an admittedly not very hotly contested category, but also looks set to be England’s breakthrough star at Euro 2012.

Walcott on the other hand, erm.

Well he had a storming game against Blackburn the other week, but as soon as Arsenal faced some testing opposition, he was absent without trace.

I watched Arsenal’s 4-0 defeat to Milan, and had to check the teamsheet after 60 minutes to be sure Walcott was in fact on the pitch.

It was a similar story in Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates two weeks before hand, while if you think back to Arsenal’s 8-2 hammering at Old Trafford earlier in the season, Walcott looked like a little boy lost.

So why would Chelsea, with all their problems want to sign him?

Firstly, the club have hardly committed their faith in Andre Villas-Boas for next season, and need to establish who will be in charge in August.

Walcott is only 22, and perhaps my criticism of him is harsh, but the emergence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and his sudden impact only highlights how Walcott has stood still since breaking into the Arsenal team in 2007.

So yes Walcott has a lot to offer still, and he could benefit from a new manager and change of scenery, but we don’t think Chelsea is the answer.

Potentially he could form a partnership with Sturridge, and allow the striker to play in the centre, so it makes zero sense for the club to let him go.

Chelsea have winger Kevin de Bruyne set to arrive in the summer, and Juan Mata who can play out wide, they may want to sign another winger, but Walcott? No.

I’m sticking my neck on the line on this one, but this is the most unlikely transfer rumour I’ve heard all year.

image: © Ronnie Macdonald