Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is still trying to convince unsettled England winger Theo Walcott to commit his future to the Emirates.

The long-serving Gunners boss revealed to The Sun that he has not yet given up on Walcott signing an extension to his deal that expires in twelve months time.

Wenger told The Sun: “We are still trying to extend his deal.”

“When a player doesn’t want to stay, you either force him or you let him go.”

The 23-year-old former Southampton player had said in the summer that he had no intention of signing an extension unless the club could convince then captain Robin Van Persie to commit his future to the North London club.

Just days after Walcott made that statement, Van Persie announced on his personal website that he wasn’t going to sign an extension and this week he was unveiled as a Manchester United player. The loss of their star player has put more pressure on Wenger to convince Walcott to sign an extension, especially as Alex Song seems on the verge of also exiting Arsenal for Barcelona.

Arsenal begin their Premier League 2012/13 campaign with a home game against Sunderland at the Emirates, in a non-televised 3pm kick-off.

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