Walcott talks up Newcastle target Livramento: Like Bale

Former England forward Theo Walcott is confident that youngster Tino Livramento can have a great career.

The Southampton youngster recently returned from a long term injury and showed flashes of his quality late last term.

Now that Newcastle United are in talks to sign the England Under-21 star, Walcott has compared him to Wales legend Gareth Bale.

"You can just see he's got an aura about him around the place," he said on Darren Bent's Boot Room show on talkSPORT.

"He's changed completely which is really nice to see when you get a bit more confidence playing, he's not as shy and timid around the place he's got a bit more of a presence.

"It just shows that there's a future star there but again we need to be careful as we always do but its why we love football isn't it? I can't complain, he's been absolutely fantastic.

"Do you know what, he reminds me a little bit of Gareth [Bale] when he came through as a full-back. That's a big statement, of course, to compare him to someone like that but just feel like his presence and the way he drives and the pace and the power and it's no surprise that you know what he's going to do.

"He's so strong with the ball and very clever and technically he is fantastic. He's got some good people around to work and the great thing about Tino he's got huge players around him and I think it's important to have similar age players close to you.

"I remember me coming through, I had quite a lot of experienced players [around me] which is again very different so I feel I think he will be able to fit right in to the generation of team that's coming through. I feel he will have a very good career."