Paul Merson questions why Theo Walcott would want Everton move; suggests Bournemouth would be perfect

Follow us on Google Discover

Theo Walcott is reportedly in talks about a move to Everton, but Paul Merson believes he would be perfect for Bournemouth.

Paul Merson has told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (broadcast on 13th January 2018 from 12:00 pm) that he cannot understand why Theo Walcott would go to Everton this month if he wants to make the World Cup squad, insisting that Bournemouth would be a better destination for the forward.

BBC Sport recently reported that the Toffees have held talks with Arsenal about a move, and he will be allowed to leave the Emirates on a permanent basis during the January transfer window. The Sun reports that he is set to cost £20 million.

But Merson has suggested that Goodison Park is the wrong destination for the 28-year-old if he wants to earn a recall to the England squad ahead of the summer given their style of play coupled with the amount of work that Walcott needs to do to force his way into Gareth Southgate’s thinking. And the Sky Sports pundit suggested that a move to the Vitality Stadium would be better for him.

He told Sky Sports: “Whoever Everton buy, they have to buy pace, they’ve not got a lot of pace in the team. He would be a good signing for Everton, very good signing. My question would be would you go to Everton?

“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.”

Having spent so long struggling to enjoy a prolonged run in the Arsenal team – 100 of his 270 Premier League appearances have come from the bench – going somewhere why he is likely to enjoy regular minutes should surely be at the top of his agenda this month.

But he may also need to balance that out as the clubs who may be able to offer that regular game-time may not be willing to pay £20 million to sign him permanently given his record and his problems with injury in the past.