'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Reports coming in from the United Kingdom suggest that Premier League duo Arsenal and Liverpool could swap two very talented players come January.
17-year-old Raheem Sterling, who has been Liverpool’s brightest spark this season, could swap places with Gunners attacker Theo Walcott and a cash payment of eight million Pounds.
Sterling has eighteen months remaining on his contract, while 23-year-old Walcott’s expires next summer. Arsenal have been negotiating an extension with the number fourteen, but contract talks appear to have stalled because of his insistence to be played up front in a two-man strikeforce alongside either Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud, Marouane Chamakh or Gervinho.
Walcott has been in excellent goalscoring form this season, having notched up eight goals in fourteen appearances, five of them being starts. Three of those eight came in Arsenal’s bizarre come-from-behind victory against Reading in the Capital One Cup.
Sterling has been an absolute revelation on the wing for Liverpool, nailing down a starting berth in Brendan Rodgers’ lineup. He is rumoured to have signed a new contract worth £20,000 a week, which will automatically activate once he turns 18. Sterling also opened his account against Reading, scoring the only goal at Anfield in a Barclays Premier League game.
Rodgers has always been a proponent of the usage of youth, and is an ardent admirer of Walcott, but is loath to lose Sterling in the process. The Liverpudlian is yet to be called up to the senior team by Roy Hodgson, but has received contact from the Jamaican FA, having roots in the Carribbean nation.
Arsenal have agreed that should Walcott not choose to sign a new contract come December, he will be free to leave come January, with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger saying:
“Yes, fans are fed up. You think I’m not fed up?
“I want our best players to stay. I have discussions every day with Theo but not every day about his contract.”
Source: The Sun
Arsenal have searched for replacements, with German duo Andre Schurrle and Lewis Holtby, Spanish wingers Adrian Lopez and Jesus Navas and centre forward Fernando Llorente, Edin Dzeko and Edinson Cavani all being linked to North London.
Liverpool, if reports are to be believed, are also in for Cavani, with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar also rumoured to be moving to England.
