Today?s Player of the Day is Arsenal and England winger Theo Walcott. A product of the Southampton F.C. Academy, Walcott burst onto the international scene when he was a surprise selection in the England squad for the 2006 World Cup. Walcott is known for his blistering pace, with former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola once declaring that ?you would need a pistol to stop him.? His playing style has been likened by Arsene Wenger to the club?s all time leading scorer, Thierry Henry.
Walcott first gained recognition during his time at Southampton, where in the 2004-05 season, he stared in the Southampton youth side that reached the final of the FA Youth Cup against Ipswich Town. Before the start of the 2005-06 season, Walcott linked up with the first team?s tour of Scotland, just two weeks after leaving school. The striker then went on to become the youngest ever player with the Southampton first team, at 16 years and 143 days, after coming on as a substitute in Southampton?s 0-0 draw with Wolves. His performances for Southampton that season led to a rapid rise to fame and also led to him being named amongst the top three finalists for the prestigious BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
Walcott signed for Arsenal on the 20th January 2006, for a fee of ?5 million, rising to ?12 million depending on appearances for club and country. He was then surprisingly, and perhaps controversially selected for the England squad for the 2006 World Cup, but did not make an appearance. He made his Premier League debut on 19th August 2006, coming on as a substitute against Aston Villa and setting up a goal for Gilberto Silva. Since making his debut Theo Walcott has gone on to become a fan favourite at the Emirates and will particularly be remembered for his 2 goals in a 5-2 win against rivals Tottenham Hotspur during the 2011-12 season.
Following the departures of key players such as Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Robin Van Persie and Alex Song in recent years, Walcott himself is now rumoured to be on his way out of Arsenal as talks about extending his contract have appeared to have broken down. With a whole list of clubs seemingly vying for his signature, including the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, Arsenal fans will be hoping that any problems be resolved and that Walcott is still an Arsenal player by the end of the transfer window this Friday.
Become a fan of Walcott on Facebook by liking his Official PFA Page:
Source: DSG
Source: DSG