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WORLD FOOTBALL

    Theo Walcott, Arsenal Agree on New Contract: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

    Tim Daniels@TimDanielsBRX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJuly 31, 2015

    LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: Theo Walcott of Arsenal applauds the crowd after the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Cardiff City at Emirates Stadium on January 1, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
    Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

    Arsenal have reached an agreement with forward Theo Walcott over a new four-year contract to keep him at the club until 2019.

    The Gunners announced the new deal alongside confirmation of Santi Cazorla's extension on Friday:

    Arsenal FC @Arsenal

    Congratulations to @19SCazorla and @theowalcott on their new @Arsenal contracts! Full story: http://t.co/gJGvjapVm1 http://t.co/D194n25esu

    David Ornstein of BBC Sport provided further details on Walcott's new contract:

    David Ornstein @bbcsport_david

    England forward Theo Walcott signs new 4yr contract with Arsenal to keep him at club to 2019. Signed last night, worth £140k per week #afc

    Gunners boss Arsene Wenger spoke to Arsenal.com about the importance of his two stars:

    We’re delighted to have extended the contracts of Santi and Theo. Both are top quality players who are hugely important and influential to our squad.

    As well as their huge contributions on the pitch, they both have a great deal of experience and are very popular off the pitch. We’re very pleased with them both signing contract extensions, as it provides our squad with further stability of quality.

    Talk about locking up the forward, who was previously signed until 2016, started heating up toward the end of the 2014-15 season—in which Walcott was limited to only four Premier League starts because of a knee injury, per WhoScored.com.

    He finished last season in fine form, blasting in four Premier League goals during the last two matches of the campaign, including a hat-trick in the 4-1 win over West Bromwich Albion. He concluded the season with five league goals, netting once every 88 minutes, recorded by WhoScored. 

    The buzzword when it comes to the 26-year-old remains "potential." He is frighteningly quick and naturally stretches Arsenal's play when feeding off through balls provided by the likes of Cazorla, Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey.

    Yet Wenger has spent many years farming Walcott on to the wing, a position that emphasises he is more effective when finishing moves off than starting them. Walcott has reached double figures just once in the Premier League—scoring 14 in 2012-13—a season that coincided with him playing up front before Christmas.

    Theo Walcott, Arsenal Agree on New Contract: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction
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    B/R UK's Sam Tighe believes Walcott needs to justify his new wages:

    Sam Tighe @stighefootball

    Whatever Santi's now earning he deserves it; he's playing at a phenomenal level atm. Walcott's £140k p/w is perhaps a different story. #AFC

    Wenger will rely on Walcott and Olivier Giroud for goals next season. Walcott has appeared immensely sharp in pre-season, scoring against Everton and Wolfsburg to carry his confident form into Sunday's Community Shield encounter with Chelsea. A solid performance against Jose Mourinho's Blues will set him up for Arsenal's Premier League opener with West Ham United on Aug. 9.

    Walcott is no longer a young player who can be forgiven for making basic mistakes. His new deal should coincide with him hitting his stride for an Arsenal team who have ambitions of challenging Chelsea for the English title.