Theo Walcott keen to stay a Gunner

Walcott has become a key member of Arsene Wenger's side this season, despite missing four months with a shoulder injury, and is also a first-choice pick for England coach Fabio Capello.

"But I do look around and think what a great team this is. We've got a great squad and some great talents. Some of the things Robin (van Persie) and Eduardo do in training are just ridiculous.

"There are so many examples of players who have developed into great players under our manager, Thierry (Henry) for a start, and I want to be one of them."

Walcott announced himself on the international stage with a hat-trick in the 4-1 World Cup qualifying win over Croatia earlier this season but he is hoping to return to under-21 level this summer for the European Championships in Sweden.

"For me, playing for England at any age is an honour," he said. "And while it's ultimately up to the managers to decide, I think I probably will play.

"In my opinion it would be good experience to play in a tournament because I haven't really had that. It's good experience for young players if they can win something as well."

The shoulder injury, suffered while training with England, put the brakes on Walcott's season but he believes the extra gym work that was part of his recovery has made him a better - and faster - player.

"Now my sprinting action is much better," he added. "I'm more balanced when it comes to using my arms. I was a bit of a lightweight before.

"That was part of the problem. I'm more powerful now and much better equipped to deal with the physical demands of the game."

Barcelona president keen on Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas

Fabregas is considered 'the one that got away' by Barcelona, after he progressed through the club’s youth system before joining Arsenal.

Laporta said: “Cesc is very happy at Arsenal. It would be a lack of respect to talk about him leaving. However, he was formed here and I would really like to see him in a Barcelona shirt.

"It is the coaching staff's opinion that counts not mine. We know he is a player with great quality who knows the Barcelona style perfectly.

"We already have the best midfield in the world but you can always improve things. That is for the coaching staff to decide. I'm sure he would adapt to our system."

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The Gooners!!

Arsenal have a large and generally loyal fanbase, with virtually all home matches selling out; in 2006-07 Arsenal had the second-highest average League attendance for an English club (60,045, which was 99.8% of available capacity), and the fourth-highest all-time average attendance. Arsenal fans often refer to themselves as "Gooners", the name being derived from the team's nickname, "The Gunners". The club's location, adjoining both wealthy areas such as Canonbury and Barnsbury, mixed areas such as Islington, Holloway and Highbury, and the adjacent London Borough of Camden, and largely working class areas such as Finsbury Park and Stoke Newington has meant that Arsenal's supporters have come from across the usual class divides. In addition, Arsenal have the highest proportion (7.7%) of non-white attending supporters of any club in English football, according to a 2002 report.

Like all major English football clubs, Arsenal have a number of domestic supporters' clubs, including the Official Arsenal Football Supporters Club, which is affiliated with the club, and the Arsenal Independent Supporters' Association, which maintains an independent line. The club's supporters also publish fanzines such as The Gooner, Highbury High, Gunflash and the less cerebral Up The Arse!. In addition to the usual English football chants, Arsenal's supporters sing "One-Nil to the Arsenal" (to the tune of "Go West") and "Boring, Boring Arsenal", which used to be a common taunt from opposition fans but is now sung ironically by Arsenal supporters when the team is playing well.

In recent times, a supporter's attachment to a football club has become less dependent on geography, and Arsenal now have many fans not just from London but all over England and the world. While there have always been small pockets of supporters abroad, Arsenal's support base has widened considerably with the advent of satellite television, and there are now significant supporters' clubs worldwide. A 2005 report by Granada Ventures, which at the time owned a 9.9% stake in the club, estimated Arsenal's global fanbase at 27 million, the third largest in the world.

Arsenal's longest-running and deepest rivalry is with their nearest major neighbours, Tottenham Hotspur, with matches between the two being referred to as North London derbies. Matches against other London sides, such as Chelsea and West Ham United are also derbies, but the rivalry is not as intense as that between Arsenal and Tottenham. In addition, Arsenal and Manchester United have had a strong on-pitch rivalry since the late 1980s, which has intensified in recent years when both clubs have been competing for the Premier League title.