Saints Boss Mauricio Pellegrino Hints of Possible Deal for Arsenal Star Theo Walcott

With Southampton looking to move on from the British transfer record for a defender of £75m after the sale of talisman Virgil van Dijk, Saints manager Mauricio Pellegrino has earmarked former striker Theo Walcott as a potential candidate to bolster the attack.

According to Sky Sports, with FA cup hero Van Dijk creating a huge sum of money for the club to re-invest in new players, the first action of business may involve bringing England international Walcott back to the south-coast.

The 28-year-old winger has struggled for game time under Arsene Wenger this season, with the likes of Alex Iwobi and Jack Wilshere selected instead with injuries cropping up for Arsenal.

Featuring only five times in the Premier League so far, many coming from the bench, as the World Cup beckons, Walcott may seek a fresh challenge to ensure he is in contention for Gareth Southgate's squad.

With the likes of AC Milan, who Walcott allegedly offered his services to recently, and Inter Milan also after the experienced and pacey midfielder, Pellegrino insisted it could be a difficult task to lure Walcott to St Mary's.

Catherine Ivill/GettyImages

"I have been talking about him," claimed the Southampton boss. "He is a good player, but I don't know with the negotiations, with the market, I imagine that this type of player would have a lot of possibility. For us it's not easy."

After the recent defeat to Crystal Palace, there have been calls for the Argentine's departure. To boost their desperate need for goals, signing the proven finishing ability of Walcott could be a step in the right direction.

"Hopefully we can bring somebody that can help us be stronger. This is our target now. We know the market is difficult, but we are working on that."