Southampton confirm Theo Walcott will sign permanent two-year deal

Southampton have confirmed Theo Walcott will sign for the club on a permanent basis this summer after spending the season on loan from Everton.

The rapid forward made a name for himself on the south coast as a youngster after breaking into the Saints first team at just 16 years of age, with his stellar performances enough to tempt Arsenal into taking him to the Emirates Stadium.

One of the highlights of his career undoubtedly came as he was included in Sven-Goran Eriksson's England squad for the 2006 World Cup, and despite failing to make an appearance at the tournament Walcott would go on to represent his country 47 times, scoring eight goals.

Having called time on his Gunners career in January 2018, Walcott moved to Everton where he struggled to cement his place in the starting XI following the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti.

His quest for first-team football saw him secure a loan move back to former side Southampton, and the club have now confirmed Walcott will be staying on the south coast beyond the end of the season after agreeing terms on a two-year deal at St Mary's.

"Southampton Football Club is delighted to confirm it has reached an agreement in principle with Theo Walcott for the forward to return to Saints on a permanent basis," the club announced via a press release.

"It will complete a remarkable and poignant homecoming for the 32-year-old, who burst onto the scene in 2005 when he made his first-team debut at the age of only 16."

Walcott took the time to express his delight at having secured a permanent move back to the club he represented as a teenager, while also wishing Everton all the best for the future.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to the club, my teammates and the fans for making me feel so welcome back here, and I can’t wait to continue pulling on the shirt in the next couple of seasons," he wrote. "Hopefully in that time we can make a few more special memories too.

“I would also like to say thank you to everyone at Everton, who have been so good to me throughout my time with the club, and I wish them every success in the future.”

Ralph Hasenhuttl added his delight at Walcott's decision to sign a new deal with the club and the Saints boss believes he can have an impact off the pitch as well as on it.

“Theo has been a very good influence for us this season," he wrote. "He is a very professional player who does things in the right way and has a very positive impact not only on our young players but on the dressing room as a whole.

“He understands the way we want to play, he has shown great commitment and he has also shown how he can be an important part of our game. I think he is a player who can continue to help us in these next two years, so I am pleased that he has agreed to stay with us.”