Wenger confident Walcott ‘gamble’ will pay off

ARSENE WENGER admits committing what could amount to £12 million (€17 million) on teenage striker Theo Walcott may is a “huge gamble” - but is confident it will prove to be money well spent.

Walcott cannot sign a professional contract with the Gunners until his 17th birthday on March 16, and so will join Arsenal as a scholar until then after they paid Southampton an initial fee of £5m (€7.2m), with the rest to be paid in instalments as he develops.

Despite having seen promising youngsters like Jermaine Pennant, Richard Wright and Francis Jeffers fail to make the most of their time at Highbury, Wenger believes his newest recruit has shown the right signs of progressing to the top of the game.

“When you sign a player, you always believe he will do it, and you give him the maximum possibilities to achieve his potential. You can help a player who wants to be successful, but the biggest part comes from him.”

Wenger declared: “You have to accept when you take a boy at 16 years of age it is a huge gamble, and I am ready to take that gamble because of the vibe I feel. If I am wrong it will be only my fault, not his, but I am very confident I will be right.”

The Arsenal boss added: “It is a big gamble but I hope that pressure is not placed on the player but on me. He is not responsible for the kind of money paid. I am responsible for that.”

Wenger was alerted to the talents of Walcott when the youngster played for the Southampton youth team against his own young Gunners at their London Colney training complex.

This season the England U17 international became the youngest player ever to represent the Saints first team this season, and Walcott is confident he has what it takes to cut it in the top flight.

“Apparently it’s really quick in the Championship and you get a little bit more time in the Premiership, I’ve heard. I’ve played with men, so it should be no problem,” said Walcott.

Chelsea were also in the hunt for the talented youngster, but Walcott is sure he has made the right choice.

“I like the youth here and I think they get a chance to play,” he said. “Money’s never been an option for me so I don’t pay much attention to that.”

Wenger also felt it was a football, not money, which saw Walcott added to his squad.

“If it was money I would say the player would have ended up at Chelsea,” said Wenger, who will give Walcott a 10-day break before he joins up with the first-team squad.

“One of the good things we have here is that young players feel they get an opportunity and that is certainly a decisive factor.”