Theo Walcott has signed for Everton for an undisclosed fee.
He joined us from Southampton in January 2006, aged just 16, having broken the record as their youngest first-team player. He spent 12 years with us and made 397 appearances, scoring 108 goals.
Theo made his debut in August 2006, coming on a substitute against Aston Villa in the first match of the season and made an immediate impact, teeing up Gilberto for a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Emirates Stadium.
Theo scored his first goal for the club in the 2007 League Cup final against Chelsea and became only the 18th player in our history to hit 100 goals when he netted in a 2-0 win over Sutton United in the FA Cup back in February 2017.
Theo was also part of two Emirates FA Cup-winning squads (2015 and 2017), scoring the opening goal in the 2015 final in the 4-0 win over Aston Villa.
In May 2006, Theo became England’s youngest-ever senior player, making his debut aged 17 years and 75 days against Hungary. During his time at Arsenal, he played regularly for England, making 47 appearances and scoring eight goals. This included famously scoring a hat-trick against Croatia in a World Cup qualifier in 2008, the youngest to claim a treble for the Three Lions.
We all thank Theo for his contribution to the club and wish him well for the future.
The transfer is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.
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