Wenger still keen on keeping Walcott after yet another goal for Arsenal

Theo Walcott may be refusing to sign a new contract with Arsenal, but he keeps proving his worth every time he puts on the red and white jersey, including yet another goal in yesterday’s brilliant 5-2 win over Tottenham.

Most of the best football betting sites have made Chelsea the favourites to poach Walcott in January, but Arsene Wenger continues to insist that he will do his utmost to keep the England international at the Emirates.

Wenger said after yesterday’s game: “I believe Walcott is doing very well. I haven’t changed my mind on him. I always said I want to keep him and we try to find an agreement. We haven’t found it yet but we’ll continue. He doesn’t play like somebody who wants to go and I don’t behave like somebody who wants him to go, because he plays.”

Walcott himself keeps saying that he is only interested in being allowed to play as centre-forward before he signs an extension to his contract, but yesterday he seemed to be happy to wait for his chance in the Arsenal team. He said: “I’ve always believed I was a striker,”

“The boss gave me five minutes at the end there and I managed to grab a goal which was great. But when you’ve got someone like Olivier Giroud who is playing well there’s no need to change a winning team.

“My time will come, I’ve just got to be patient, but like a say, I want to play upfront, that’s my best position.”

Walcott may be prepared to be patient, but I think that Wenger and the Arsenal board must surely be running out of patience themselves, and if he hasn’t signed by Christmas he is nearly certain to be on his way out….