Pires, Cole and Wenger on Theo Walcott

French star Pires, who is on his way to Villarreal, said: “It wasn’t a surprise for those of us at Arsenal. Yes, he is young and hasn’t played many games.

“But I have trained with him and know what an exciting prospect he is.

“He can be a super-sub for England. He is very quick, very technically gifted and a great finisher.

"He would be a great player to come off the bench. He is quicker than Thierry Henry. He is the best player I have seen of his age.”

Cole added: “I have seen him every day and I am sure if he gets the chance he will take it. He hasn’t done me in training but he is lightning-quick and hopefully we can use that to our advantage in Germany.

“I don’t know his feelings but he is a down to earth, quiet type with his head firmly on his shoulders.





“He comes from a strong family unit and has good support behind him — like Wayne Rooney has.”

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger admitted: “He is still in shock and I don’t think he really understands what is happening to him.

“But he is very level-headed and will not panic. He is already used to training every day with the very best players but the World Cup can only make him better.

“He will learn the good habits of the top players. The pressure out there will be very high and he will get to understand the demands of the media.

“I don’t feel guilty about exposing such a young player to all this because I know he can handle it. In situations like this, the weak get weaker and the strong get stronger.

“He has gone into a world where he will have to cope with pressure and disappointment.

“I am confident he will cope because although he is a quiet boy he has a strong personality.”