Striker Role Key to Theo Walcott New Arsenal Contract

Tuesday, 25th September, 2012

Theo Walcott wants to play as a striker for Arsenal and admits the position he is deployed in will be crucial to determining whether he pens a new contract with Arsene Wenger’s men.

Walcott is in the last year of his contract at Arsenal and rejected the chance to pen a fresh deal in the summer.

relatedNewsStory He has attracted interest from a number of clubs, including Juventus and Liverpool.

The England star’s refusal to sign a new deal does not mean talks are dead though, with Walcott insisting that his last contract took six months to iron out.

“It has been a slow process”, Walcott told the BBC. “It is not going to happen any time soon. My last contract took six months to do. It is one of those things that can be frustrating. Hopefully it can be sorted.”

Where the former Southampton man will play is a key consideration, as he himself well admits, with the burning desire to take the role of a striker present in the 23-year-old.

“Playing up front is important. It is one of the main factors for me”, stressed Walcott, who has made three of his four Premier League appearances this season off the bench.

“I signed as a striker. I’ve learnt my trade out on the wing.

“Hopefully I’ll get to play up front in the next few games. It is frustrating being on the bench, but it is one of those things I have to deal with.”

Securing a regular spot as a striker looks a tough ask for Walcott, with Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud having both been bought as forward options by Wenger in the summer.