Sam Allardyce is hopeful Theo Walcott will be ‘exceptionally good value for money’ for Everton.
The versatile forward sealed a £20 million move to Goodison Park on Wednesday afternoon, following over a decade on the fringes with Arsenal.
Walcott was the third-highest English goalscorer last season, with 19 goals in 29 starts for the Gunners, placing him behind only Spurs’ Harry Kane and Dele Alli.
But the 28-year-old failed to start a Premier League game for Arsene Wenger’s side this term in what proved to be his final six months at the Emirates Stadium.
Allardyce, however, believes Walcott’s value to the Blues will bear out over time.
He said: “I’m thrilled we’ve been able to secure a player of Theo’s experience and quality. There was a bit of a chase between a couple of clubs.
“But I think after we set out the ambitions of the club and my ambitions for him he was motivated to come here and refreshed in his mind by the new challenge he can put upon himself.
“He’s said he wants to go somewhere where he can be successful. He wants to play every week and really take his career forward again.
“In the past and certainly with last season what we saw and what we’ve looked at with the amount of goals, assists and pace that he brings, it’s a very good acquisition and a lot of shrewd negotiation by the club in terms of today’s prices.
“Hopefully, it will prove to be exceptionally good value for money.
“We’ve brought him here because of his experience with Arsenal, playing Champions League football and fighting to get into Champions League positions and winning FA Cups – and he’s got a lot of ambition to take off again with his career.
“He’s in his prime, too, and I’m just delighted we’ve got him.”