Theo Walcott passes medical at Everton FC

Everton target Theo Walcott is challenged by Darron Gibson

The Blues are due to pay £20m to Arsenal for Theo Walcott, with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger being blamed for the player’s low valuation.

Walcott, 28, will become Everton’s second signing this month after following Turkish striker Cenk Tosun to Goodison.

The move to Merseyside will bring an end Walcott’s 12-year affiliation with Arsenal after moving to the Emirates as a teenager.

But despite his long spell in North London, he will depart having fallen out of favour with Wenger, playing just 63 minutes in the Premier League this season.

The former Southampton man has been restricted to appearances in the cup competitions, despite scoring 19 goals last season – his second-best haul for the club.

Former striker Tony Cascarino believes the player is more than capable of replicating that form under Sam Allardyce, believing Wenger is to blame for Walcott’s recent drop-off in performances, writes the Liverpool Echo.

He believes the Frenchman hasn’t nurtured Walcott enough during his time at the club, and the move to Merseyside could reignite his career – making him worth £40m.

Cascarino said: “At £20m the Everton manager will think he has a bargain — in the form of last season Walcott would be worth double

“All forward lines are mobile now and Walcott could be deadly as part of a front three at Everton, playing on the shoulder of defenders, interchanging positions with Cenk Tosun and Yannick Bolasie.

“Don’t be surprised if he shows Wenger what could have been.

“Wenger rightly gets praise for transforming Arsenal in the late Nineties and the brilliance of his Invincibles team but I don’t think that he’s very good at developing young players.

“Wenger never seems to commit to players, chopping and changing or taking them off early in games. It affects confidence and growth, as we’ve seen this season with Lacazette. Having only one manager can seriously hold a player back and I think Wenger has wasted a potential star. Walcott needs some new ideas and enthusiasm about his ability and I think that Sam Allardyce can provide that.”