Arsenal forward Theo Walcott denies fall out with Arsene Wenger amid contract negotiations

Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has denied falling out with manager Arsene Wenger over discussions regarding a new contract at The Emirates Stadium.

The 26-year-old's current deal has less than 18 months to run and Wenger is keen to nail Walcott down to fresh terms to avoid the England international entering the final year of his deal in North London, when he becomes vulnerable to interest from rival clubs.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Walcott as Raheem Sterling continues to stall on a new contract of his own, but amid the talks over a new deal which Walcott insists have not yet begun he has denied there is a rift between him and the Arsenal hierarchy.

"I don't normally comment on false stories about myself but reports about contract demands and bust-ups with the boss are complete nonsense," Walcott wrote on Twitter. "There have been no contract talks as yet and my current focus is not on contracts but on doing my best for Arsenal FC."

Walcott is currently Arsenal's longest serving player but came close to leaving the club in 2013 after running down his contract to the final six months, before penning a fresh three-and-a-half year deal, however talks over a renewal threaten to run into the 11<sup>th hour.

Those discussions are likely to centre on Walcott's future opportunities in the Arsenal first team, which have dwindled in recent seasons due to constant injuries, while Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud are now mainstays in attack.

Such questions have seen Liverpool mentioned as a potential future destination for Walcott and ex-Reds defender Jamie Carragher believes the deal would be good for both parties.

"He's an Arsenal player at the moment but he is a player that Liverpool have looked at before under Rodgers," he told Sky Sports. "He's a good player but is struggling to get into the Arsenal team with their top attacking players.

"If he was available then I'm sure any Liverpool fan, player or manager would love to see him at the club. But, he is an Arsenal player at the moment, and we must respect that."