Chelsea line up shock bid for Arsenal's Walcott

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott has emerged as a shock target for Chelsea, according to The Sun.

The 22-year-old England international could even be in line for a shock swap with unhappy Blues striker Daniel Sturridge, it said.

Walcott is rated at £10 million as he only has a year left of his deal, while Sturridge's runs until 2014.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is desperate for a new striker and has been tracking Sturridge, who is angry at not being offered a new contract despite the club's joint top goal scorer this season.

Walcott, 22, has failed to fire this season but Wenger is set to offer him a new deal this summer.

Wenger is under pressure to change his wage structure and offer more players mega-money contracts of £100,000 a week which Chelsea is already paying.

Walcott has found the target just three times in the Premier League but feels he is playing his part.

He was involved in three of the Gunners' seven goals against Blackburn, helping captain Robin van Persie to a hat-trick.

"One of my main jobs as a winger is to get assists. The goals are a secondary thing," he said.

"Some of them against Blackburn were tap-ins so it was like a goal really. I hope it made Robin’s job easy."

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