EXPERIENCED Theo Walcott believes talented teenager Tino Livramento has “a really good career ahead of himself” but insisted it was key to “not expect anything too quickly”.

The exciting full-back announced himself at St Mary’s following his switch from Chelsea last week.

Livramento, 18, assisted Walcott for his goal within 90 seconds after the pair had come off the bench following half-time in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Athletic Bilbao.

The teenager signed a five-year contract at St Mary’s in a move which could reportedly reach around £5million.

Walcott told the Daily Echo: “Obviously young Tino and myself came on and I was so pleased for Tino.

“I know how it feels when you move clubs and it’s not an easy transition at all, especially being how young he is and, again, I know that feeling.

“He’s come right in and he’s fitted in really well, so I am really pleased for him personally. He’s really enjoyed himself this week and the lads have really looked after him.

“I feel like he’s got a really good career ahead of himself. We need to make sure we just let him do it in the background, I suppose.”

Walcott himself knows exactly what it is like to move clubs as a teenager, having left Saints to join Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2006.

Asked what it had been like to try to help Livramento settle in his first few days at Saints, the former England star replied: “He physically looks like an athlete, which you would hope anyway. But he is a very grounded young man I feel and is very well spoken as well.

“He keeps his head down. He works hard and it’s only been a few days but you can tell already he’s definitely a very good young character. The club need to look after him.

“But the players as well, we are around him and always there for him. I just said to him ‘go out there and enjoy it because that’s when you play your best football. Enjoy yourself, relax and express yourself’.

“I felt he was very comfortable but it was just a shame we couldn’t make that first goal into two because we really did start the second half really well.”

Quizzed on whether seeing a young player like Livramento excited him, the 32-year-old said: “Yeah there has been a lot said but, like I say, this is the issue.

“We need to make sure we just let these young lads just develop in the background and not expect anything too quickly.

“That’s been a habit we all obviously love to do at times but we need to make sure there’s players still learning and developing in the background.”

Both Walcott and Livramento could be involved when Saints begin their Premier League campaign with a trip to Everton on Saturday.