It is looking more and more likely that Jack Wilshere will be leaving Arsenal this January as he is desperate to fight his way back into Gareth Southgate’s England team at the World Cup this summer. The 25 year-old is fit and ready but revealed his frustration at not being picked for the recent friendly games against Brazil and Germany.
“Gareth hasn’t rung,” Wilshere said. “He’s got my number and he hasn’t called me yet. If he wants to call me, my phone is always on.
“He didn’t put me in the squad and had that to focus on. He said in the press what he wanted me to do: get in the team and play regularly and that’s what I’m trying to do. That’s all I can do.”
The Three Lions coach has made it clear that Jack will only be considered for selection if he is playing regular first team football, and not only that but he must be playing as a defensive midfielder – which Southgate considers to be his best position. In fact he was Man Of The Match for England for five games in that position before he lost his place to injury, and Jack himself agrees that Wenger is wrong about playing him as a Number 10. “If Gareth sees me in that position, I have to play in that position,” he said.
“To be honest, that is probably my favourite position. I can see where he is coming from. I enjoy playing there. At the moment, I’m playing a bit higher here.
“I’ve said before that I want to stay here and play. I don’t have to say how much this club means to me.
“But at the same time as well, the boss has got to be honest with me and I’m sure he will.”
Wenger reckons that Wilshere cannot play for the Gunners as a defensive mid, and has clearly stated he is in competition with Ozil and Alexis instead, which means that he has little chance of getting in the starting XI anyway. So it looks like we will just have to accept that Wilshere will be leaving in January, or giving up on his World Cup dreams….
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