Wenger keen to lift pressure off Walcott

Arsene Wenger insists there will be no “special pressure” on teenager Theo Walcott to become an instant hit at Arsenal.

Walcott cannot sign a professional contract with the Gunners until his 17th birthday on March 16, and will therefore join the Barclays Premiership club as a scholar until then after they paid Southampton an initial fee of £5m (€7.29m), with the rest of a £12m (€17.5m) deal to be paid in instalments as the youngster develops.