Arsenal Transfer News: Theo Walcott To Sign New Contract This Week?
Goal.com reveal that Arsenal's Theo Walcott is to sign a new long term contract with the club at long last. The England international's salary will climb to around £90,000-a-week from £60,000-a-week under the terms of the new deal, in addition to which he will receive performance bonuses and a hefty (multi-million) signing on fee in a deal that is to keep him at Arsenal until 2017. Walcott has reportedly indicated his desire to stay at Emirates Stadium after being offered improved terms by the North London club. The fact that Arsene Wenger has lived up to his promise of giving him opportunities to play in his favourite centre-forward role has also reportedly played a part in brokering the deal. Walcott has scored four goals in his last five appearances for Arsenal in the lone-striking position, a good return considering the fact that Wenger was reluctant to deploy him as an out-and-out striker until this season. He also sits at the top of Arsenal's goalscoring charts this season, with 14 goals in all competitions; while having won the club's player of the month award three times in succession. Walcott's improvement is, naturally, being put down to his deployment as a central striker by Arsene Wenger, allowing him to utilise his natural pace and lethal finishing ability in a more threatening position, providing for a more fruitful return of goals this season. If 23-year-old does sign, he will be the sixth British player to pledge his future to the Gunners in the past few weeks, joining Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey and Carl Jenkinson in doing so. The player's representatives and the club are confident the new deal will be completed by the end of this week, a major coup for Arsenal who will secure one of their most valued assets. It will also mean that Arsenal will have staved off the interests of Chelsea and Liverpool for Walcott's services, which will then allow Wenger to concentrate on reinforcing Arsenal's squad during the January window.