Theo Walcott has told the Daily Mirror he had fallen out of love with football by the time he left Arsenal for Everton in January.
The Gunners face Everton this weekend and Walcott admitted his career needed a change of direction.
He said: “I wasn’t enjoying it. I’ll be honest. I was frustrated, I wasn’t playing, I didn’t play a lot of the games.
“Having spent so much time there, done so well, it does hurt, but that’s gone now. I had great times but I feel like I’m going to have even greater times here, I really do.
“I also feel like I’m playing with a smile on my face. If I’m doing that then the best will come out.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham “are fighting growing dressing-room unrest” over Harry Kane’s lucrative contract, The Sun claim.
The newspaper say the likes of Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose want improved deals to match Kane’s reported £200,000 a week.
The Sun declare that the trio “have demanded improved terms” and are “believed to be looking for pay hikes of around 40 per cent”.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is said to be refusing to match the salaries potentially on offer at other clubs.
The Sun claim Eriksen “will not commit to a new deal until the club ups his pay grade”, that England left-back Rose “is frustrated with his current terms and is desperate to quit in the summer” and that Alderweireld “is in no mood to stay” after being dropped last season.
And The Times reports that Tottenham will have to pay the Football Association rent for the entire season if they stage matches at Wembley beyond the game against Burnley on December 15