Arsenal's January transfer: Llorente in, Walcott out

Theo Walcott has evidently woken up and smelt the coffee, or perhaps seen the evidence of a trophy-winning side at the Emirates. The question is, has the realisation come too late? Also, Fernando Llorente stoked the January transfer fires by suggesting he is not ready to continue at Atletico Bilbao given his evident falling out with the club. He is playing off the bench and often to boos from the crowd. Wenger has always been in pole position to sign Llorente and given the kind of movement and play that Arsenal’s ‘new Fabregas’ Santi Cazorla is providing, a link-up with Llorente can only be lethal. The kind of lethal option that Arsenal were missing against Manchester City. Arsenal are in a strong cash position and Walcott’s contract runs out at the end of the season. Let’s say that Wenger has not been benching Walcott because of the contract issue. It is then quite clear the winger is not in the manager’s preferred starting XI with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the returning Aaron Ramsey ahead in the pecking order. Walcott’s England hopes will fade if all he plays is 15 minutes off the bench. Should Llorente come in January, irrespective, where would that leave Walcott? For the moment, if comments published by him in The Sun are to be believed, he sees himself as Arsenal’s next Thierry Henry. Walcott said: “Thierry joined when he was 22 and started off slowly. “I am only 23 and I want to be in that category of being a legend like Thierry — and hopefully it can be with Arsenal.” Walcott, 23, joined Arsenal from Southampton in 2006, and is now eyeing a striker slot in the Capital One Cup tie against Coventry tomorrow night. He said : “I could play up front against Coventry — that would be a nice gesture.