Southampton winger Theo Walcott will be allowed to leave his boyhood club this summer if he wishes, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.

The £75,000 per-week star returned to Saints on a permanent basis 12 months ago, but he has struggled for regular opportunities under Ralph Hasenhuttl, which has led to doubts over his future.

What's the latest news involving Walcott?

Following a productive loan spell in the 2020-2021 season, which saw him score three goals and lay on three assists in 22 Premier League outings, Walcott made the decision to re-sign for Saints on a permanent basis last summer.

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But the arrivals of Adam Armstrong and Armando Broja, and a lack of form restricted Walcott to just a handful of starts in the top-flight, with the fifth and last of those coming on Boxing Day.

Clearly not part of Hasenhuttl's plans moving forward, the ex-Arsenal man played just one minute across Southampton's final 20 Premier League fixtures and could therefore leave the club before September's transfer deadline.

With that in mind, Crook reckons that Walcott will be given the chance to seek pastures new if the right opportunity presents itself.

What did Crook say about Walcott?

He told GIVEMESPORT: "Walcott will be allowed to leave if he wants to, I think there's even a possibility that he goes to America. Moussa Djenepo, similarly, if there was any interest and maybe Nathan Redmond as well."

Has there been any interest in Walcott?

As Crook alluded to, a switch Stateside has emerged as a potential option for Walcott. According to The Sun, the 31-year-old is considering a move to Major League Soccer following his lack of game-time on the South Coast.

The report claims that potential destinations are LAFC, Los Angeles Galaxy, New York Red Bulls and New York City.

Beyond a move to the US, there isn't currently any other concrete links for Walcott, although given his experience and CV, with more than 127 goals and 47 international caps to his name, he's unlikely to be short of options as the summer window moves towards the deadline.