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.