Good wishes to Jack Wilshere on finding a new club at last

As recently as Christmas some Gooners held on to the romantic notion that Jack Wilshere could be re-signed by Arsenal.

With the 30-year-old training with us anyway and the club looking at cost cutting in January, why not bring in a body even as a pay as you play deal?

The Gunners always insisted they were just doing a favour to someone who had been part of our set up since the age of 9.

That they were happy to support him in staying fit, but it was simply that, support and a favour. Zero interest in a business relationship.

In a sport where many feel you wouldn’t help someone without an ulterior motive, Mikel Arteta deserves credit for doing the right thing towards his former teammate. It’s the classy way of working that we have long been associated with.

The midfielder has maintained for months that our manager wouldn’t risk the quality of training by having someone involved who couldn’t handle the level of intensity, even paying him to be part of the squad who recently went to Dubai.

That’s the saddest part of the Jack Wilshere story.

Once Man of the Match against a Barcelona side including Iniesta and Xavi, his mind is still willing, but he can’t rely on his body.

He stresses he did enough at Bournemouth to earn a permanent contract, and blames that on a change of manager.

He has accused David Moyes of misleading the West Ham fans, claiming he was fit more often then was reported.

He has blamed this false stereotype on scaring off any interest from English sides.

The most heart-breaking aspect is if the midfielder truly believes he can play at the highest level, or is it bravado.

In reality, 8 months of searching for an employer across Europe has led to a short-term contract with Danish side AGF.

The player has spoken about the impact mentally his fall from grace has had on him.

Imagine physically not being able to do what you love to do, or feeling you still have that ability but are being overlooked?

Either way this is a reality check which might cause soul searching.

The dream was that coaches at the Emirates be so impressed he get a return to ‘his club’ or at the very least Arsenal to use their contacts to suggest him to possible suitors.

To end up in the Superliga at not even Denmark’s best team, on a salary comparable to a League One or Two club, shows you how far away he is from the level he used to be at.

It begs the question; which injury at which point made him unable to compete beyond a certain standard?

Maybe this is what a Unai Emery, David Moyes and Woodgate saw day in and day out?

When he first left, I hoped (like most Gooners) that Super Jack would prove his form and fitness elsewhere and one day return where he belongs.

Like the majority of our fanbase we all want ‘one of our own’ to succeed which is why, even when not realistic, many would have been happy had he earnt a contract.

It’s unlikely that anything he does in Aarhus will earn a free transfer to North London.

Yet ‘once a Gooner, always a Gooner’ and at our core we all want Super Jack to be happy.

Once predicted to be a future captain for club and country, the player has long given up on international caps or lifting trophies.

It’s now as simple as wanting to make a living doing what he was given a god-given ability to do, play the game he loves.

I’m sure I speak for the majority of the JustArsenal Family where we wish Super Jack all the best.

Dan