There is a strong feeling that the England international midfield star Jack Wilshere is going to rescue his Arsenal career and come back to be a first team regular again, as long as this season on loan at AFC Bournemouth sees him play the regular football that all of his injury problems have denied him at his boyhood club, the mighty Arsenal.
So as long as he can stay reasonably fit for a year then Jack should be back with the Gunners next season. For now, though, his number 10 shirt is not being used and his German team mate Mesut Ozil has already got his beady eyes on it, as a Daily Mail report reveals.
Ozil said, “It just went free, and I definitely want it.”
The question now is whether Arsene Wenger should let Ozil have it or keep it unused for a season to see if Wilshere does come back with a bang?
I can see good arguments for both sides. Ozil is clearly our first choice for Arsenal in what we call the number 10 position. He has been called the best number 10 in the world for his creative ability and he has just taken that shirt number for the Germany national side, where it’s previous holder was none other than the former Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski.
Our current number 11 went on, ‘I’d wanted the number for years but so did Lukas Podolski. And he got to keep it because he had more caps than I did. Now I’ve pounced.
‘The number fits me and my position: play-maker.’
‘It’s my favourite number. Football legends like Zinedine Zidane, Diego Maradona and Pele wore that number on their backs. I’m really very happy to have it.’
It would make sense for the German to have it on his back at club level as well and it is not as if Wilshere has had that number throughout his Arsenal career, as it was previously held by the traitor Robin van Persie. Also, with contract talks back on it might be a good idea to keep Ozil sweet.
On the other hand, if Wilshere feels the same sort of way about the number it might be a bad idea to take it off him. He is already having to cope with the blow of being loaned out by the club he loves and if we were to also strip him of his shirt number it could be damaging to his morale and confidence.
It might also give him some extra determination to really show everyone that he can still be the player we thought it would be when he burst onto the scene in such style. What would you do with the number 10 shirt?
Bob.