Arsene Wenger: "Little boy" Theo Walcott is now a man

Arsene Wenger has hailed Theo Walcott for the way in which he has developed on and off the field at Arsenal.

Wenger brought Walcott - now 26 - to North London at the age of 16 in 2006 and claims to be proud of the way the forward has turned out.

"He has become very mature, he has gone through difficult periods so he is a very strong man," the Frenchman told Arsenal's official website of the ex-Southampton starlet.

"He is a man today, when he arrived here he was a boy, a little boy who discovered a world where he did not know anything about it.

"Of course he had to go through bad injuries and disappointments and I believe he is a man today, a man who knows what he wants and has been faithful to our club. It was a great signing."

The England international, who signed a contract extension last month, has netted 71 times for the Gunners thus far.