Ex-Newcastle United hero to be joined by Arsenal legend in League One battle as head-turning transfer emerges

Reading are set to add Arsenal legend Theo Walcott to their squad to join former Newcastle United hero Andy Carroll in leading the attack against League One sides next season.

It turned heads when the Berkshire side were relegated from the Championship in May with Carroll still on the books for another year. Many thought the star, who has never played lower than the second tier, might be on his way out of the Select Car Leasing Stadium alongside Tom Ince, who has joined Watford, and others let go such as Lucas Joao, Yakou Meite and Liam Moore.

However, the striker appears to be honouring his contract and gearing up to battle the likes of Port Vale, Carlisle United and Shrewsbury Town next season having been pictured with the Reading squad on a training camp in Spain.

The League One club has been rocked by off-the-pitch dramas in recent times with points deductions for financial breaches and, last month, Reading were served a winding-up petition by the government for unpaid tax bills.

Despite the controversies, Reading managed to appoint former Southampton boss Ruben Selles as their manager and the surprise news keeps on coming with the Spaniard set to bring Theo Walcott to the club.

The ex Arsenal star is currently training with the club and is reported to be on the verge of signing a deal that would see him play in League 1 alongside Carroll next season.

Just like the former Magpies man, Walcott has never played below the Championship and is a face associated with the Premier League thanks to his career at Arsenal.

Despite testing times with injury, Walcott bagged 108 goals and 80 assists for the Gunners in 397 appearances.

Walcott and Carroll have of course faced each other in Premier League clashes, but the two have also linked up on the same side for England. Both featured in Roy Hodgson's Euro 2012 set-up and worked together to inspire the memorable comeback against Sweden in which both found the back of the net.

Seeing the news online, one football fan wrote: “Theo Walcott linking up with Andy Carroll giving me them Euro 2012 vibes.”

Another added: “Reading are such a weird club. Embargos aplenty and yet we’d be a League One side boasting a front two of Andy Carroll and Theo Walcott.”