Theo Walcott has revealed that he can understand why some of his Arsenal team-mates might be considering their futures at the club.
The likes of
Cesc Fabregas
and
Samir Nasri have been linked with moves away from Emirates Stadium after another trophyless season for the Gunners.
Walcott has made it clear that he wants Arsene Wenger to strengthen his squad rather than let any of his star men leave.
However, he appreciates how frustrating it must be for such ambitious players to keep going without success, and hopes
Arsenal can finally end their long wait for silverware next term.
"The manager has said he is going to spend this summer and I'm intrigued to see who we're going to get," Walcott said in
The Sun.
"We've got a small squad and it would be nice to see a few additions. I've heard rumours of
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema and signing a player of that calibre would get the crowd on their feet and help us hold on to our best players.
"Of course I can understand why some of our players might be getting frustrated and thinking about leaving. They want to win things and we haven't done that for six years.
"I'm the same. I don't want to remembered just for being quick. I want to be in the history books for winning things like
Ryan Giggs and
Paul Scholes.
"I'm lucky, I'm still only 22 so I've still got a lot of time on my side.
"But when you're at a big club like Arsenal and playing great football, you need to be winning things and at the moment the silverware is just not there."
Walcott accepts that it will be difficult to win the Premier League title when the new campaign kicks off with all the other contenders likely to mount stronger challenges.
"Now we have
Manchester City, Spurs and
Liverpool coming into the frame and building on their squads, so it's not going to be easy next season," he said.
"Everyone at the club needs a break physically as well as mentally because things are going to change at Arsenal. We all still believe in what we're doing but we have to start winning trophies."
Walcott hopes to play a more central role in the future, having been deployed on the wing for the majority of his Arsenal career since arriving in 2006 from
Southampton.
"I want to play up front a bit more. I was signed as a striker and I haven't forgotten how to play there," he insisted.
"It's difficult to get involved when you're out on the wing, especially if you make a slow start and don't get an early touch.
"But hopefully the boss has seen a bit more of my game coming out with goals and assists.
"With me being quick I can attract opponents and create more space for others.
"I'm not saying I'm going to win everything for Arsenal playing as a striker but I think I've developed and want to play up front."
Originally Posted by AKBapologist
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