Arsenal Sign Walcott!

[.:MARK:.]

Arsene Wenger admits committing what could amount to £12million on teenage striker Theo Walcott may be a "huge gamble" - but is confident it will prove to be money well spent.

Walcott cannot sign a professional contract with the Gunners until his 17th birthday on March 16, and so will join the Barclays Premiership club as a scholar until then after they paid Southampton an initial fee of £5million, with the rest set to be paid in instalments as the youngster develops.

Wenger was first alerted to the talents of Walcott when the youngster played for the Southampton youth team against his own young Gunners at their London Colney training complex.

The England Under-17 international became the youngest player ever to represent the Saints first team this season, and Walcott is confident he has what it takes to cut it in the top flight.

Source - http://sports.pipex.com/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/06/01/20/SOCCER_Arsenal_Walcott.html


mann isn't this big news for the gunners! and the EPL itself, this KID Walcott is creating as much hype as when rooney was signed at that age. i am a Gunner fan, and this looks promising!

[Teknoboy]

This seems promising, but no way there will ever be as much talent as wayne rooney, his a very good player, but has he played in the English Premier League when he was 16, and scored a winning goal againest Arsenal, that basicially ruined their title hopes, now they could be similar but rooney is pure talent, we will just wait and see what Walcott turns out like, could be the next Frank Lampard :)

[DJ Beau J]

My prediciton:

Wenger waits till the kid is 18
Walcott plays first match for Arsenal (off the bench)
Walcott plays second match for Arsenal (starts)
Walcott plays third match for Arsenal (off the bench)
Wenger realises what a **** purchase he was because he overrated the kid and then the footballing world will realise that managers cant just sign people because they look good at the age of 16. Sure it is a manager's job to spot talent and such, but the amount of times ive seen young guns being talked up and not producing or being one season shows. Examples, Saviola - went to Barcelona at young age, was a STAR - now he is probably working at a Bakery somewhere. Robinho - went to Real Madrid, was a star for the first couple of games and now he just eats d*ck, hopefully he peforms for Brazil at the World Cup otherwise ill be very dissapointed in Luxemburgo.

I can see this being a trend now. Signing youngSTARS and the player being a one season show then being absolute poo.

[Teknoboy]

Unlike the one and only Wayne Rooney, who keeps staring for Manchester United, when Ruud Van Nistelrooy retires he will be his replacment as lead striker, but Saviola from Barcelona was a great player, he played about 5 seasons or so, was a gun, but now since they have got Samual Eto'o who is an absolute gun, and is very young is shining, and is almost one of the best strikers in the world, now he has talent just like rooney, but this walcott guy, i've heard of him, don't think he will be a success to Arsenal

[.:MARK:.]

this is in all ways promising for Arsenal's future, because with three youngsters like Reyes, Fabregas and now Walcott... how can you go wrong?

[sikunt]

lets just say, Southampton got the better deal!!

[Erol N]

^^ true... this is about the only thing the gunners have got going for them atm. there are so many youngsters that the gunners have invested in, in the past and havn't payed off...
van persie, frances jeffers, Owusu-Abeyie and Aliadiere just to name a few who were all hyped up to be massive, i.e. van persie has been tipped to be the next bergkamp and yet before his injury could barely get a run. Similar story with Aliadiere a young under 21 french international who is now on loan at west ham and can't even get a run there...

gotta love rooney though... spends his wage on high class strippers, haha!

[.:MARK:.]

i.e. van persie has been tipped to be the next bergkamp and yet before his injury could barely get a run.

what are you talking about dude?!

have you been following Van Persie man? he is killing it, ESPECIALLY for Netherlands, played a full game last time i watched. hit the cross bar too.

[Teknoboy]

yeah Van persie has been in blazing form for both arsenal and the dutch, but you would have to agree, the absolute star of not only Holland but Manchester United aswell, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, he has been in tip top form, best striker this season in the epl, Hernan Crespo has been mad aswell, and Rooney wat a legend :)

[Amar M]

gotta love rooney though... spends his wage on high class strippers, haha!

You cant really say, high class strippers............they were all over 50 :whore:

[sikunt]

yeah Van persie has been in blazing form for both arsenal and the dutch, but you would have to agree, the absolute star of not only Holland but Manchester United aswell, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, he has been in tip top form, best striker this season in the epl, Hernan Crespo has been mad aswell, and Rooney wat a legend :)
you cant say blazing he has only scored 4 goals for em this season...arsenal's form has being ordinary.

my conclusion is that the arsenal era is over...in 2-3 years time, arsene would be asked to resign because the team would have aged soo much and not enough "good" youngsters have been phased in with the team.

You have/had a team of: berkamp, ljungmberg, pires, viera, henry (who is 28!), not to mention the defence and the like are all in their 30's. Walcott is too young...and is a gamble. Arsenal's best move is to sell Henry in the summer and profit. The guy is a genious, but they need the cash to rebuild this team - otherwise, it will be a one man team (not Walcott lol)

[DJ Beau J]

Mark, how can you go wrong you ask?

Let's see whether this provides them with any inspiration to lift the title ever again

[.:MARK:.]

he hasn't played yet if your unaware... youth players aren't for sudden title championships.. there for future...
*points to head* theeeeeenk about ittttt.

[sikunt]

remember a contract can last for a maximum period of 5 years...so he is 16 now, by the time his contract runs out at age 22, im sure he would be worth more than 15 mil! and arsenal would be dying to re-new his contract at that age

[Eskimo]

Saviola is at Monaco and he has been consistent. A decent player.

Gilardino, anyone?

[Eskimo]

Walcott turns out like, could be the next Frank Lampard :)

Lampard is a midfielder.