Arsenal Transfer News: Theo Walcott Targeted by West Ham, Jordan Lukaku Rumours

Arsenal's Theo Walcott is reportedly set to be the target of a £26 million bid from West Ham United this summer.

According to the Brentwood Gazette, Hammers manager Slaven Bilic is prepared to fulfil Walcott's wish of playing through the middle in order to tempt him to the Olympic Stadium.

West Ham are currently enjoying an excellent season in their last term at Upton Park and are still in with a shout of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League in 2016-17—they are currently three points back from fourth-placed Manchester City in the Premier League table.

Meanwhile, Walcott, 27, has endured a frustrating campaign, netting only five times in 23 Premier League appearances, per WhoScored.com.

He has long failed, in the main, to make good on the promise he showed as a youngster at Southampton and Arsenal.

Walcott has been plagued by injury for much of his Gunners career, and his England spot for the summer's UEFA Euro 2016 tournament is in serious doubt, per the Telegraph's Sam Wallace (via BBC Radio 5 Live):

A change of scenery may be just what he needs to finally show his genuine quality consistently, while playing in his preferred central position could also be vital.

There is certainly a question over whether Arsenal would sell him to one of their Premier League rivals.

However, if they can make a significant profit on Walcott—they signed him for an initial £5 million fee—it may prove a deal worth doing.

Season	Appearances (as sub)	Minutes	Goals	Assists
15/16	15(8)	1306	5	2
14/15	4(10)	442	5	0
13/14	9(4)	859	5	4
12/13	24(8)	2286	14	10
11/12	32(3)	2749	8	8
10/11	19(9)	1696	9	7
09/10	12(11)	1132	3	2

Given the topsy-turvy and fairly low-quality nature of the current Premier League season, it is a fairly damning indictment of their form that Arsenal are all but out of the title race as they sit 11 points back from league leaders Leicester City.

Manager Arsene Wenger cannot use the excuse this season that Arsenal have been outdone by the superior financial muscle of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United, as those clubs have not really been in the title race.

Personnel changes are needed if the Gunners are to finally win a league title again next season, and moving on consistently injury-prone and underperforming players—like Walcott and Jack Wilshere—may well be part of the answer.

FRANCISCO LEONG/Getty Images

Elsewhere, Arsenal are reportedly eyeing Oostende left-back Jordan Lukaku, younger brother of Everton's Romelu, according to Italian outlet Calciomercato.com (via the Mirror's Aaron Flanagan).

The 21-year-old is already a Belgium international and is an accomplished distributor of the ball, as he showed in assisting his brother for the national side against Portugal last week, per BT Sport's Max Bentley:

Nacho Monreal is currently Arsenal's first-choice left-back, but their depth in the position is not strong, so Lukaku could act as a back-up and competitor to the Spaniard should he switch to the north London club.