Walcott wants surgery soon
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Arsene Wenger has confirmed Theo Walcott will undergo shoulder surgery soon, but expects the Arsenal youngster to come back and fulfil his promise.
Walcott's season will be ended when he goes under the knife in a bid to cure a long-standing problem with his left shoulder.
The England starlet was originally pencilled in for surgery following the Carling Cup final, but the operation was delayed following his impressive display and injury to Abou Diaby against Chelsea.
However, Walcott has opted for surgery now rather than waiting and Wenger does not expect it to hamper the youngster's promising progress.
"I think we did not see enough of Theo because of his shoulder," said Wenger. "He was very, very promising before his shoulder injury.
"Sometimes it pops out now in training. Now, he wants to get it done.
"I feel he will be a great player, and you have seen glimpses of him - but first he needs to get his shoulder right."
The surgery means Walcott will miss the Wembley curtain-raiser between England's Under 21s and their Italian counterparts on 24th March.
"I gave him a choice," Wenger added. "He said: 'I want to do it as quickly as possible'."
Walcott has revealed he has had shoulder troubles since joining The Gunners, and it has been gradually getting worse.
"It is my left shoulder, and I have had the problem since I joined, it was from my Southampton days," he said.
"I have been playing with it and it has been fine, but it has been getting worse the last couple of months.
"I think the best thing for me in the long run is to have the operation." -
In my personal 'watch-list'
I'd call him Henry #2, a few years time.