Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Gunners Must Not Part with Theo Walcott Yet

While most of the talk surrounding Arsenal this summer has been whether or not the side could retain world-class striker Robin van Persie, there is another key member of the squad entering the final year of his contract that shouldn't be forgotten about.

That would be Theo Walcott.

Apparently, Chelsea hasn't forgotten about Mr. Walcott and are rumored to have interest in the speedy winger. But if the Gunners were wise, they wouldn't give in to Chelsea's advances.

We get the rumor from the Daily Mail:

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Meanwhile, Chelsea are lining up a shock swoop for Arsenal's Theo Walcott as the England winger stalls on signing a new deal.

The 23-year-old, who played a bit part role at Euro 2012, has just a year left on his contract.

That has alerted Premier League rivals Chelsea who have joined the race for his signature along with Paris Saint-Germain.

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The 23-year-old is one of the fastest players in Europe and he has shown flashes of brilliance such as a goal and fantastic assist to Danny Welbeck in England's group stage win over Sweden at this summer's Euro Cup.

When he is on top of his game and playing intelligently, he is an absolute handful coming off the right wing. His pace and ability to break down defenders in one-on-one situations—and his chemistry with Robin van Persie—can open up gaps in opposing defenses and create wonderful opportunities for his teammates.

And I think his scoring touch will continue to improve. He finished second on the Gunners with 11 goals this season, and I think he's shown marked improvement as a footballer in the past two seasons.

I may be in the minority, but I think giving up on him would be a mistake. I think he is a very good fit within Arsene Wenger's preferred style of play.

Now, it should be noted that the team shouldn't hold on to Walcott and sign him to a lucrative extension at the expense of losing van Persie. Walcott should clearly be this team's second priority. And if a team like Chelsea decides to drastically overpay for his services, it might be hard for the Gunners to resist his transfer.

But they shouldn't be in a rush to sell him off. I still think Walcott has room to grow and could be a vital part of the team's trophy aspirations in the future.

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets want Dwight Howard to just get traded already, too.