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Theo Walcott completes move to Everton from Arsenal and signs three-and-a-half year deal

Theo Walcott has signed for Everton after 12 years at Arsenal: Getty
Theo Walcott has signed for Everton after 12 years at Arsenal: Getty

Everton have completed the signing of Theo Walcott from Arsenal on a three-and-a-half-year contract.

The Merseyside club announced the capture of the 28-year-old England international on their official Twitter feed.

The fee is undisclosed but the Toffees' second signing of the January transfer window reportedly cost them £20million.

“I've come to Everton because I want the club to push to the next level,” the England international said on his new club's website.

“I'm very excited to be starting a new chapter and I felt this was the right place for me to be. The manager (Sam Allardyce) is very ambitious and I feel like the club is going in the right direction.

“Everton is a club with a great history. The fans are always passionate, they're great and I always used to find it very tough playing here.

“The club has won trophies but I want them to win trophies now. The manager is very hungry and it's just what I need. I've had a couple of chats with him and straightaway I felt that hunger and that desire that he wanted from me. I need that and I wanted that.

“I'm dead excited and I just want to do what I do best which is playing football and expressing myself because I'm excited again, I really am.”

The move brings to an end Walcott's 12-year spell at Arsenal, for whom he scored 108 goals in 397 appearances.

Arsenal said in a statement: “We all thank Theo for his contribution to the club and wish him well for the future.”

Everton boss Sam Allardyce has already strengthened his forward line with the purchase of £28million Beskitas striker Cenk Tosun.