Former Arsenal forward Paul Merson has claimed that Bournemouth would be the perfect club for Theo Walcott as the Englishman prepares to leave the Emirates Stadium.

Walcott is widely expected to leave the Gunners this month after struggling for football in the first half of the 2017-18 campaign.

The 28-year-old has only made six Premier League appearances this season, and has been strongly linked with a return to former club Southampton.

Everton, meanwhile, are also believed to be in the hunt as Toffees boss Sam Allardyce looks to improve his options in the final third of the field.

However, according to pundit Merson, Walcott should look to engineer a move to Bournemouth as his style of football would suit the Cherries.

Bournemouth had Jack Wilshere on loan last season, and Walcott could well be the latest Arsenal player to pitch up at the Vitality Stadium.

Merson told reporters:

"People say he's got to play because he's going to the World Cup, I don't see him going to the World Cup. I think he's well down the pecking order.

"There would have to be a few injuries and he'd have to majorly pull up trees at Everton, and the way Everton play, it's going to be hard to pull up trees.

"The perfect fit, for me, with him would be Bournemouth. They play 4-4-2, they play attacking football, pacey."

Walcott, who is valued at £18m by transfermarkt.co.uk, was a late substitute in Arsenal's 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/wenger-signings.mp4