Theo Walcott has apparently started talks with Arsenal over a new contract.

Or is going to.

If you believe previous reports based on statements from Arsene Wenger he started them a while ago or didn’t at all if you believe what the player himself said.

So, although we are inclined to believe that he might have actually got involved with trying to sort out his future, an endeavour that will no doubt drag on for months, it’s worth taking the news with a shovel of salt.

From what we can gather from the noise around the club, they do want him to stay and he has no real intention of leaving so what we will end up with will be a saga similar to the one we had the last time his contract was up for renewal.

Hopefully, the player will realise that both he and the club are in very different positions than they were the last time. Arsenal don’t need Theo anywhere near as much as he needs them, a reverse of the post-van Persie borefest which saw the winger hold all the cards and able to throw a tantrum over money playing position.

If he does realise this, we could see a relatively quick resolution.

I wouldn’t bet on it, however.

Talks will begin in two weeks according to the latest reports. Quite why that needs to be announced is anyone’s guess.