The long-running contract standoff between Theo Walcott and Arsenal has ended with the England winner signing a new three and a half year deal with the Gunners. The deal is worth a reported £90,000 a wage plus add-ons.
Walcott had balked out Arsenal’s initial contract offer of £75,000 per week in August and held out for a better deal.
Arsene Wenger had said earlier in the week that that he was ’99 per cent’ certain that Walcott would agree terms before the weekend, telling the Sun:
‘I hope it will be signed before the weekend. There is a possibility. My optimism is at 99 per cent now.’
He added that he was concerned Walcott would follow the other big names out of the club but it appears he is set to stay in north London.
Wenger said: ‘Yes I was scared at some stage, that he could leave because it is like that with the experience I have in negotiations.
‘When things last too long, it is never a good sign. It took us some time to get where we want to get. It is still not finalised, but hopefully it will be done by this weekend.’
This is a big win for Wenger, who has seen Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Alex Song and Robin van Persie leave the Emirates in the last 18-months.
Walcott then is the latest British player to commit his future to Arsenal, as Arsene Wenger has decided to buy British after many years of ignoring British born players. In the last month or so Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, have all signed five-year extensions with the club.
