Theo Walcott has been assured by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger that he still has a role to play at the club as a wide man.

Wenger’s decision to bid for Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy appeared to cast further doubt over the future of Walcott, who did not start a Premier League game for Arsenal after the 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in February and was subsequently left out of Roy Hodgson’s England squad for Euro 2016.