There are plenty of Arsenal players that reportedly want out of the club at this moment in time, largely due to the Gunners poor performances over the years and the unrealistic prospects of becoming winners once again. However another name who may have joined the ‘I want out’ list, is not even a player who is currently at the club.
Jack Wilshere’s career with Arsenal has taken a turn that nobody would’ve anticipated when he first broke onto the scene. When Wilshere made his first string of appearances for the Gunners, he was deemed to be a midfielder who would be present as a leader in the team for many many years to come. Persistent injures and a poor attitude off the pitch meant that his Arsenal career quickly turned sour under Arsene Wenger.
Wilshere was also part of the British core but now, like a lot of players, Wilshere has just a year left on his current Arsenal contract and has no idea as to whether he’ll still be at Arsenal next season. When questioned about his future, and whether he is worried about Wenger still being in charge at the Emirates, Wilshere said: ‘It’s one of them, you know, I’m not really thinking about it. Whatever happens, happens.
‘What’s going on at Arsenal is not really my concern at the moment.
‘I’m a Bournemouth player, Arsenal have let me come to Bournemouth for the year and I’ve got a manager here that I speak to and we get on.
‘Of course I look at Arsenal, I’m an Arsenal fan, I want Arsenal to do well. For me, Arsene Wenger was great. He gave me my chance at a young age and stuck with me.
‘I got injured and he still stuck with me. He’s a big reason I am where I am today, the player I am today, so I can’t think about his future at the moment but he’s been great for me.’
Wilshere does not know where he will be after this summer, whether at Arsenal, Bournemouth or another club. They are words that will interest several Premier League sides.
‘If I go back and he (Wenger) is there, then hopefully he will stick by me again and give me my chance,’
‘But I don’t really know where I’m going to be.
‘I don’t know if I’ll be at Arsenal. I don’t know where I’ll be.’
Wilshere has managed to prove his fitness at Bournemouth this season and has become an important player for the south coast side. There have been rumours that Bournemouth are also interested in signing the player on a permanent deal in the summer; but I think Arsenal will be keen to bring him back.
Now he’s managed to prove his fitness to the club, it only continues to suggest that it’s Arsenal that have the concern regarding injuries, whether that be in training methods or treatment, rather than the players themselves. The issue on a new contract for Wilshere is a pressing concern, but with the likes of Ozil and Alexis also having only a year left, it seems Arsenal have their priorities straight when beginning contractual talks. Or should Arsenal be making the much younger Wilshere a higher priority?
By AH