Why Walcott hasn't played for Arsenal?

Dunno how much truth there is in this, but itmakesfor interesting reading and could explain why he hasn't played for us yet.


"England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been lambasted for giving a World Cup spot to Arsenal striker Theo Walcott before he has kicked a ball in the Premiership. But the reason Walcott has yet to play at the top level may have much to do with Arsenal's pay-as-he-plays deal with Southampton.

It means that for the foreseeable future they must pay £100,000 for every game he starts. Compare this to the first 'transfer' that took him from Swindon to Southampton aged 13 for £2,000. Even a two-second appearance as a first-team substitute would cost Arsenal £20,000.

Now, either by luck or cunning, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, having recommended Walcott to Eriksson, can watch him receiving a free education with England at the World Cup, because financial penalties in the transfer arrangements only kick in after he has played 20 games for his country.

The £12 million deal that took Walcott from Saints to Arsenal in January is a tribute to the negotiating skills of both Wenger and Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe. While the £5 m down payment is enormous for an untried teenager, the sort of fee normally associated with an experienced international, Arsenal are committed to further £1 m instalments only after every 10 first-team starts, during which time they can assess his chances of becoming a major success.

Internationally, they have agreed to pay a further £2 m when Walcott plays his 20th game for England, which is likely to be at least two years away, by which time he would have proved himself. And if Arsenal sell him before he has reached that figure, they must pay £150,000 for every international appearance.

If Arsenal had started Walcott in every game since his signing, they would already owe Southampton an extra £2.4 m, double what they paid for Ivory Coast full-back Emmanuel Eboue. Clearly, with Wenger forced to watch the pennies because of the move to the Emirates Stadium, he would not have wanted to make such a financial outlay before observing Walcott in training for a lengthy period, and before his club had secured their place in next season's Champions League tournament.

If he plays and shines in the World Cup, however, one can expect Walcott to become an Arsenal regular from the start of next season. That will only add to the aggrieved feelings of Second Division Swindon Town, the first professional club to spot Walcott's talents.

He began training with them at the age of 10 after scoring 100 goals in a season for Newbury FC. But when he joined Southampton at 13, Swindon received just the £2,000 and a further £50,000 when he made his 10th first-team appearance. What might have seemed a good deal at the time now looks peanuts.

Swindon chief executive Mark Devlin says: "Whoever did the deal was obviously satisfied with it. We have explored the possibility of retrospective compensation, but have now ruled it out. Rupert Lowe could always send us some money, of course, but that is as unlikely as us winning the Champions League."

The deal

• Jan 1: Southampton receive £5m from Arsenal.
• Arsenal to pay £1m for every 10 first-team starts up to a total of 50.
• Five substitute appearances count as one start.
• Arsenal to pay £2m after 20 England appearances or £150,000 per game if they sell him.
• Total cost: £12 million."