Theo Walcott announces retirement despite Saudi Arabia offers
Former Arsenal and England winger Theo Walcott has announced his retirement from football at the age of 34, having rejected offers from Saudi Arabia and clubs in the EFL Championship. Walcott most recently played for boyhood club Southampton but was released at the end of last season. He had shot to fame with the Saints as a 16-year-old, before joining Arsenal and getting a shock call-up to England’s 2006 World Cup within two months of turning 17. At that point, Walcott was yet to make his senior debut for Arsenal, but went on to play just shy of 400 Game s for the Gunners over a 12-year period – he scored 108 goals and won two FA Cups. With Arsenal career Pet ering out, the forward joined Everton for more than £20m in January 2018. A 2020 loan to Southampton was then followed by a permanent transfer the next year. Having remained unused in 2006, making his controversial selection even more of a talking point, Walcott eventually earned 47 senior England caps. He also scored eight goals...