Arsenal: £30 million Theo Walcott sale bucks historical shortcoming

While many criticise Arsenal’s hesitancy to buy players in the transfer market, perhaps a more troubling issue is their inability to garner high prices for their outgoing stars. If they are able to complete the £30 million sale of Theo Walcott to Everton, then that would begin to buck the historical shortcoming.

Typically, Arsenal and Arsene Wenger are criticised for their hesitancy in recruiting players. They are, if you were to believe their detractors, unwilling to commit to the necessary level of investment that a club fighting at the upper echelon of the Premier League, unable to match the ambitions of the fan base, preferring to protect their bank balance rather than their trophy cabinet.

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While the accuracy of such criticism can be debated unendingly, it does distract from one of the key weaknesses of the club’s transfer activity. One of the key issues for the Gunners in the transfer market rests not on who they want to add to the squad, but in how they have sold the already prominent members of the squad.

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For context, consider Chelsea’s selling record in recent seasons. Just this summer, they have sold Nathan Ake for £20 million and Asmir Begovic for £10 million, two players who would only feature for Antonio Conte’s side if injuries struck, and are, according to the majority opinion, not worth the price paid. And it has not just been this summer that Chelsea have sold unwanted players for more than their value.

Last summer, Oscar was sold for £50 million, the year previous, they received £24 million for Ramires, and that’s after earning over £100 million in sales the summer before, including the departures of Kevin de Bruyne, David Luiz and Romelu Lukaku. In individual cases, not all these sales were the correct decision. However, what cannot be questioned is the value that Chelsea ensured they received from every single transaction.

The same cannot be said for Arsenal. Or at least that was the case. This summer, with what Wenger has described as a ‘heavy squad’, there is the expectation that we will see several key departures, with Wenger wanting to hone the options that are available to him at certain positions.

One of the players who could be on his way out of the Emirates is Theo Walcott. Recent reports have linked him with a move to West Ham United or Everton, with the claim that a number of Premier League clubs are interested in his services. Arsenal are willing to sell, for the right price. They see that price at around £30 million.

That may seem like a steep valuation for a player who has only shown glimpses of his exuberant talent over the past decade, consistently failing to deliver on the outstanding potential that he showed as a searing youngster. And that’s because it is.

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But that is what Arsenal should be looking to do to other clubs in the transfer market. Sell high and buy low. It’s a very simple principle, one that has evaded them for many years. Chelsea have seemingly mastered the selling of players. It is time to Wenger to emulate his London rivals.