How he rates: Theo Walcott, Southampton

At 16, Theo Walcott looks a prodigious talent, and he has strengthened his reputation by scoring three goals in his past three games for Southampton. Even before he broke into the first team his club had to resist Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, who are monitoring his progress.

How he is handled in the next couple of years will decide whether he is going to play at the highest level, but the signs are positive. A quick, skilful forward who can play out wide or as a central striker, Walcott has all the natural gifts and an understanding manager in Harry Redknapp.

Southampton have been using Walcott in a central position, and I think that is where his future lies. He can beat opponents on the wing and is a fair crosser but his talents are best suited to a role through the middle. From there he can exploit his excellent speed off the mark, which he can maintain over 40 or 50 yards, and that pace makes him terrific on the counter-attack and for stretching defences. Up front he has got more angles and chances to go either way past defenders.

He has good balance and although he is right-footed he will use his left for shots and has upset some bigger, stronger defenders who are good in the air but not so comfortable on the ground.

Three goals so far is a great return but the question from the coaching staff at Southampton will be whether he has the calmness and composure to finish so well consistently. Recently, at Leeds, he scored but wasted two simpler chances.

That clinical touch might come with experience, and he certainly took his goal well at Millwall when he intercepted a backpass and rounded the goalkeeper before finding the net from a difficult angle.

His interaction with his team-mates can improve and, if he does play on the wing, he needs to understand how to free himself from his marker by checking out to receive possession. But he has plenty of time to learn and seems disciplined. He is educating himself with the other YTS boys in case injury or lack of form mean release.

Southampton need his zip after selling Peter Crouch and Kevin Phillips and it looks as if he will play regularly but train sparingly. At 5ft 7in he is small, but he has strength, he is doing weights and he will clearly develop into a broad-chested player, making him better able to resist challenges. I think his ideal partner would be someone who can hold up the ball.

Walcott has made such rapid progress that he has bypassed reserve football, as Ledley King and Wayne Rooney did at Tottenham and Everton. They have become England internationals very quickly.

Plenty of talented young forwards have fallen away, often because they do not have the mental strength to go with their natural ability. Birmingham's Jermaine Pennant is at the crossroads now, for example. Hopefully, Walcott can fulfil his potential.

Age 16

Born Newbury

Position winger/striker

Height 5ft 7in

From trainee

Bravery 8

Confidence 8

Awareness 6

Heading 6

Speed 9

Goalscoring 7