Theo Walcott Disappointed Arsenal Didn’t Sign Liam Delap, Says Young Striker Could Be England’s Next Harry Kane

Former Arsenal and England forward Theo Walcott has shared his disappointment that his old club didn’t go after young striker Liam Delap — a player he believes could be the next big thing for England after Harry Kane.

Delap, 21, recently completed a high-profile £30million move from Ipswich Town to Chelsea. While the move has excited some fans, it has raised serious concerns for Walcott, especially as a lifelong Arsenal supporter.

“That’s why Delap going to Chelsea worries me as an Arsenal fan,” Walcott told Channel 4, where he will be part of the coverage for the England Under-21s’ European Championship campaign. “I know Chelsea have been chasing that No 9 — the type like Didier Drogba. They call it the curse of the No 9, but Delap can break that curse. He’s a really good striker. He’s the next one after Harry Kane for England.”

Walcott, who played for Arsenal during some of their most exciting years and wore the iconic No 14 shirt once worn by Thierry Henry, said he sees something special in Delap — the kind of attitude and hunger Arsenal desperately need.

“You can see it in him. You can see his fight,” Walcott added. “He doesn’t care who he plays against. That’s the kind of striker Arsenal should have gone for.”

Arsenal have reportedly been exploring other options in the transfer market, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres among their targets. But Walcott believes Delap would have been the perfect fit — and missing out on him is a big blow.

“It disappoints me as an Arsenal fan if you don’t go after someone like that,” he said. “He’s got that killer instinct, that classic No 9 edge — something we’re not seeing enough of in English football anymore.”

Walcott’s comments come during a summer where the former England international has been openly discussing his worries about the future of the traditional centre-forward in English football. Despite Harry Kane continuing to score goals for the senior team — his 73rd goal came recently against Senegal — Walcott believes the pipeline for future strikers is drying up.

England’s Under-21 squad, currently playing in the European Championship in Slovakia, travelled without a recognised striker. Delap had been named in the preliminary squad but chose to focus on Chelsea’s preparations for the Club World Cup instead — a move that left Walcott concerned about priorities.

“I don’t like it,” Walcott said, referring to the lack of strikers. “It shows where we are as a country because we can’t find a No 9 to play in a system.”

He pointed out that modern football in England is becoming too predictable, with too many wide players wanting to cut inside rather than stay wide and whip crosses in.

“I’m a big believer in getting it out wide, dribbling one-v-one, crossing it and seeing some headed goals,” Walcott said. “When do we see that now? We barely do. You just know they’ll go inside. It’s starting to become too predictable.”

Walcott, who spent much of his career playing as a winger, says the desire among young players to play as a “No 10” or a false nine has taken away from the classic striker mentality.

“Everyone wants to be a No 10 because it’s the glamour position,” he explained. “But when clubs go searching for a real No 9, fans wonder why they’re so hard to find. The truth is, not many want to play that role anymore.”

“Strikers are selfish — they just want to score goals. But now, all of a sudden, the wingers are becoming selfish too. They want to cut in and do their thing. The connection between wide players and strikers is fading.”

Walcott’s personal frustration also stems from experience. As a young England player, he was famously called up to the 2006 World Cup squad at just 17, a move he admits may have come too soon. But he sees something different — and promising — in this new generation of under-21 players.

“These guys seem older than their age,” he said. “They’ve played in top leagues already. They’ll have more experience. But still, without a real No 9 leading the line, it’s hard to see where the goals will come from in the long term.”

Walcott hopes that Delap’s move to Chelsea doesn’t slow down his development, but he also can’t help but think Arsenal missed out on a special talent.

“He could’ve been our answer to Harry Kane,” Walcott said. “It’s sad to see him go somewhere else when Arsenal clearly need someone like him up front.”