English forward Theo Walcott was left out of the Southampton squad that returned to winning ways thanks to the 1-0 home win over Arsenal in their Premier League encounter on Saturday. The England international didn’t even make the Southampton bench for the visit of his former club.

Theo Walcott moved from Southampton to Arsenal as a teenager in January 2006 and he was with the North London club for over a decade. Walcott was at Arsenal for 12 years before he made a £20m transfer to Merseyside club Everton in January 2018. While he was at Arsenal, Theo Walcott won three FA Cup titles.

 

Walcott made his return to Southampton at the start of last season after he became surplus to requirements at Everton. He had one year left on his contract at Everton before he signed for Southampton on a season-long loan in the summer of 2020. He was able to start his second spell with the Saints as a loanee for Everton.

 

At Southampton, Theo Walcott was a regular in his time at the club as a loanee for the Toffees. Walcott was signed as a free agent last summer by the Saints on the back of his loan spell at the club. He was given a two-year, free transfer contract at Southampton at the start of this season. Unlike what was obtainable last season under Southampton boss Ralph Hassenhuttl, Walcott is no longer a regular for the Saints under the same manager. The Englishman has been on the fringes of the first team at Southampton this season. He has made just five appearances in the league this term.

 

Walcott was missing from the Saints squad that stunned Arsenal at home thereby putting in a dent in the Gunners’ Champions League hopes. Polish international Jan Bednarek scored the only goal of the game to give Southampton their first win in six league games.