Paul Merson claims that Jack Wilshere is only being offered a contract because of the situation regarding Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez. The former Gunner isn’t renowned for having one of the better footballing opinions, and there are a number of times when I have simply shaken my head at his comments, and today’s interview leaves me tutting also…
The Sky Sports pundit moved to claim that Jack Wilshere is being offered a new deal in order to soften the blow with Wenger of the understanding that both Alexis and Ozil will be quitting the club at the end of the term, before naming the England international as the club’s third best player!
“If he plays from now until the end of the season, I don’t care what club he’s at, he goes to the World Cup,” Merson said.
“But if he stays at Arsenal, he will be like Theo Walcott and he will play a couple of games and he’ll be back out the team again.
“They sent him out on-loan for a whole year last year.
“He was a better player last year than what he is today and now they’re offering him a contract!
“He (Arsene Wenger) must have heard something off Ozil and Sanchez and he’s thinking ‘wait there a minute, I’m in big trouble if I lose Jack Wilshere. After Ozil and Sanchez, Jack Wilshere is our next best player’.
“If they all left then there would be uproar at Arsenal. How many people are going to buy season tickets next season?”
For some reason Merse seems to believe that a club wouldn’t simply offer their third best player a contract because he is as good as he is, and would only do so in the knowledge that the only two more important players are leaving…
Does Merson need to quit punditry? Does his nonsense ever make sense? Is Jack only needed if Alexis and Ozil leave?
Pat J