West Ham had reportedly made Theo Walcott  a £25million ­target should Arsene Wenger insists that Olivier Giroud must remain at the Emirates.

Both Arsenal strikers were down the pecking order at the Emirates during the last half of the 2016/17 season  and according to the Mirror West Ham are on the Walcott case.

Walcott has also lost his place in the England squad under Gareth Southgate and like Giroud is frustrated at his lack of game time at the club.

Giroud remains the number one target at Arsenal and it seems unlikely that Arsene Wenger would be more prepared to allow Walcott at two years younger than the Frenchman to leave.

At 28, he is still hoping for a World Cup call and will keen none the less to become a regular first teamer – somewhere but the price is likely to be between £25m to £30m.