Monday 20 July 2015 11:13, UK
Arsenal forward Theo Walcott says he is hoping to stay with the club but does not mind if negotiations over a new deal extend into the upcoming season.
The 26-year-old has been at Arsenal since 2006 and signed a three-and-a-half-year deal 18 months ago.
And he said after their FA Cup final victory in May that he thought the north London side could lay down a challenge for the Premier League title this season.
Quoted in Monday's newspapers, Walcott said of his contract situation: "My agent has talked to the club.
"I enjoy playing for this club, so I am just letting them crack on with things and I'll continue playing football.
"We'll just play the waiting game and see what happens but I'm sure it won't be long. This squad, for me, is one of the best I've been involved in. I want to be part of that."
Asked whether he would be happy if the talks carried on past the start of the upcoming campaign, he added: "Definitely. It's not in my thought process at all.
“You don't want to dwell on it, you want to play well and, if it happens, it happens.
"I won't let that delay the way I'm going to be playing this season. I can't let that affect me, I want to do well for this club.
"It's my first pre-season for two years now, so I want to work hard and get fit.
"It's a really exciting year for myself personally and I think this team can go very far."
Arsenal looked good on Saturday when they beat Everton 3-1 to clinch the Barclays Asia Trophy in Singapore and Walcott scored the opener.
He added: "I'm always going to be judged on goals. I've been very happy with my goal record when given the opportunity, that is all I can do."
