Current club: Arsenal
Theo was born in Stanmore but brought up near Newbury in Berkshire, scoring more than 100 goals in a season for AFC Newbury before Swindon Town, and then Southampton, noticed his potential.
He starred for Saints on the right wing as they reached The FA Youth Cup Final in 2005 and became their youngest ever first-teamer at 16 years 143 days, coming on as a substitute in a home Championship fixture against Wolves.
A record fee for a teenager, reportedly £5m rising to £12m, took him to Arsenal in January 2006 and he soon made his England senior debut as a substitute for Michael Owen in a friendly against Hungary at Old Trafford on 30 May 2006, becoming England’s youngest ever player at 17 years 75 days.
Theo was already the youngest ‘B’ cap (17 years 70 days) and went on to be the youngest Under-21 cap and youngest scorer (17 years 152 days) and the youngest hat-trick scorer for the senior team in a FIFA World Cup Qualifier in Croatia in September 2008.
His Premier League debut for the Gunners came as a substitute against Aston Villa in August 2006 and he scored six goals in 63 Premier League appearances in his first three seasons.
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