Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he did not contemplate selling England forward Theo Walcott in the summer.
Walcott started just 15 Premier League games last season, scoring five goals - a tally he has matched in his first eight appearances this term.
The 27-year-old should start the Gunners’ Champions League match against Ludogorets Razgrad on Wednesday.
“I was not ready to let him go. I always wanted to keep him,” said Wenger.
"I’ve felt that since he’s played with more freedom, maybe he lets his feelings come out a bit more and is less calculating: ‘Can I do that or can I not do that?’
“I think he has a less restricted attitude and that shows you that he is a completely different player.”
Goal number 94 for Walcott I think and he’s just gone past 350 games.
You have to be a good player (or a WengerBoy) to get that number of apps at Arsenal, but 1 in 3.5 is the sort of ratio i’d expect from a middling-to-top player like Theo. Needed to have hit a purple patch like this way before now in his career.
Think Wenger has been protecting him for the Spurs game, gave him an excuse to give Ox and Ramsey a run out too. I’m sure he’ll be fine for Saturday. If we had had any other big games before I’m sure he’d have played.
There’s clearly better alternatives out there that will improve us massively however, if he’s chipping in with goals whilst not playing to the top of his game, then it’s hard to argue with at the moment.
More than Wenger has spent on any other player ever which represents no value given his age and the fact that he’s not proven playing for a big club as well.
