I went mad when Liverpool won the Champions League – but it was easy to reject them for Arsenal transfer.
Theo Walcott made the last appearance of his career when Liverpool travelled to Southampton back in May 2023. The then 34-year-old recorded an assist in a 4-4 draw as his professional career ended in relegation.
A boyhood Reds fan, the forward boasted a perhaps underwhelming record against Liverpool. Making 27 appearances, he won only six times, recording two goals and three assists.
But two of his more memorable moments for Arsenal arguably came against the Reds, running the length of the pitch twice to claim assists against Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League in April 2008 and again in the Premier League 12 months later.
It was with the Gunners where Walcott spent the bulk of his career. A £12m signing from Southampton in January 2006, he made 397 appearances for Arsenal over 12 years, scoring 108 goals, before signing for Everton in a £20m move in January 2018 and later returning to St. Mary’s, initially on loan, in October 2020.
A two-time FA Cup winner during his time in North London, it is perhaps a surprise that the 35-year-old did not achieve more during his career given how highly-related he was when Arsenal plucked him from Southampton in the first place.
Regularly linked with a move to Liverpool throughout his career, such a switch ultimately never materialized before he joined the Reds’ bitter local-rivals.
But he did turn down Liverpool when first leaving Southampton in order to sign for Arsenal back in 2006, despite them being his boyhood club, with Arsene Wenger and Thierry Henry playing a decisive role in his decision.
“Chelsea and Liverpool were options at the time,” Walcott recalled on Sky Sports on Monday Night Football earlier this season. “Manchester United came in very late, which I was unaware of, but to be honest my mind was already made up as soon as Arsene Wenger got involved. I remember going back to his place with David Dein.
“Thierry Henry was a player that I really aspired to learn from and as soon as I learned Arsenal were involved I thought I have to go there and play with him.
“It was my dream to play with someone like that. You ask any kid who you get an opportunity to play with your [dream] star, you’re going to do it. It was an easy option for me.”
While Walcott snubbed Liverpool’s advances in 2006, he had celebrated like crazy when they won the Champions League the previous year.
“When Liverpool won the Champions League last year, I went mad,” he admitted months after his move to Arsenal. “I was shouting so loud I think I woke up the entire village where I live!”
A Reds supporter because of his own father’s allegiances, Walcott once took the opportunity to be a Chelsea ball-boy in order to meet some of his boyhood heroes including Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler.
“I was playing in a tournament for Swindon when Southampton and Chelsea showed an interest,” he recalled. “Chelsea invited me to be a ball boy for a match against Liverpool and it was fantastic to meet my heroes Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler.
“I was a Liverpool fan simply because my dad followed them. Unfortunately I wasn’t born when the team had their golden era, but I enjoyed watching the likes of Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman when I was growing up.”
