Everton have completed the signing of Theo Walcott from Arsenal on a three-and-a-half-year contract.

The Merseyside club announced the capture of the 28-year-old England international on their official Twitter feed.

The fee is undisclosed but the Toffees’ second signing of the January transfer window reportedly cost them £20million.

“I’ve come to Everton because I want the club to push to the next level,” the England international said on his new club’s website.

“I’m very excited to be starting a new chapter and I felt this was the right place for me to be. The manager (Sam Allardyce) is very ambitious and I feel like the club is going in the right direction.

“Everton is a club with a great history. The fans are always passionate, they’re great and I always used to find it very tough playing here.

Theo Walcott has joined Everton
Theo Walcott has swapped Arsenal for Everton (John Walton/PA Wire)

“The club has won trophies but I want them to win trophies now. The manager is very hungry and it’s just what I need. I’ve had a couple of chats with him and straightaway I felt that hunger and that desire that he wanted from me. I need that and I wanted that.

“I’m dead excited and I just want to do what I do best which is playing football and expressing myself because I’m excited again, I really am.”

The move brings to an end Walcott’s 12-year spell at Arsenal, for whom he scored 108 goals in 397 appearances.

Arsenal said in a statement: “We all thank Theo for his contribution to the club and wish him well for the future.”

Everton boss Sam Allardyce has already strengthened his forward line with the purchase of ÂŁ28million Beskitas striker Cenk Tosun.