Arsene Wenger says he wants to extend Jack Wilshere’s contract, but says it will be difficult.
The midfielder is currently on loan at Bournemouth, who he wants to win on Sunday, but the boss – while understanding about that – wants him to prove he’s a real Arsenal man by commiting his future to the club.
“I can assure you talks over any contract are always difficult and with Jack they are always difficult,” he said, suggesting January would be an ideal time to start discussions with a player heading towards the final year of his contract.
“My feeling is I want him back,” he continued. “I let him go this season because we bought Granit Xhaka, we have Mohamed Elneny, Aaron Ramsey, and I thought if he doesn’t play regularly and wasn’t fit enough to be in the position to start games, so I let him go.
“After, we see how he goes at the end of the season. If Jack comes back to his right level he will play for us.”
“He always said he is an Arsenal man. If you only think about yourself then you go where you like to be.
“The word loyalty isn’t even the right word. He always said he was an Arsenal man.”
Earlier Wilshere spoke about how he wanted his current side to win, but that was point of view Wenger understood, saying it was normal for any player to want the side he was currently playing for to take maximum points.
Wilshere or no Wilshere, this club will carry on. Better with Wilshere than not, but club always comes first.
Think he’s been really unlucky with injuries but optimistic he can move past them as they’re not the dreaded ligament or muscular tears like Diaby or Rosicky for example.
Loyalty is rare in football nowadays and if we lose Wilshere we’ll no doubt regret it. Arsenal boy through and through and would love him to extend.
Couldnt agree more.. He bossed many midfielders some years ago, including barca.. Even xavi hailed him to be one of the top midfielder in the world.. Let’s hope he wont be another rosicky and diaby..
My god, isn’t that performance by Wilshere, exceptional as it was, the most over rated performance for us Arsenal fans. He didn’t boss the midfield in that game. He was very good. That’s about it.
sure, people oversell it, but they also undersell how good he was the rest of that season. he was excellent. too many arsenal fans have written him off.
But he left us and didn’t fight for his place? I don’t see him coming back.
I’ve really enjoyed how relaxed Arsene is when fielding questions during this year’s press conferences in general. He is calm and his confidence in the team doesn’t force out some of the frustration he used to express. He is so knowledgeable on all of the random topics thrown at him, he is always honest and I feel even a greater respect for him for it!
i have a strange suspicion that we will let santi leave. i dont want him to leave but he is in the last year of his contract and there is no talk of any kind of deal for him when it should never’ve been allowed to run till the last year . if there was a deal for him it should’ve been offered last year. it’ll be a sad day to see him leave if that is true
I’d prefer Jack anytime over Elneny as an option in midfield.
He adds something carrying the ball from deep and replicates some of Santi, could have dovetailed well with Granit.
That said, the Egyptian is more willing to bide time on the bench.
With Santi getting on, Jack may have a window of opportunity next season. If should he not convince at Bournemouth, we may have to potentially replace BOTH him and Santi down the line.
I will prefer Santi to sign a new contract with ARSENAL despite his injury nowadays. For Jack he can always play for England if that is the only thing he want and not competing and playing for ARSENAL. COYG
I’m thinking the same re Santi. I’d like to keep him but its whether he’d want to stay if not guaranteed a start.
And I think trying Jack in his position. As Blogs mentioned, shame he isn’t around to try it while Cazorla’s injured, but then he may not have been fit enough.
If you had to sell Jack or Ramsey, who would go?
I would love for Jack to return and show what most of us know he is capable of. Jack Wilshere should be at Arsenal.
Wilshere has been given enough time at Arsenal to prove himself. At Bournemouthe he hasn t shown anything special.
I thought his performances for Bournemouth each week have been getting better. He is a player that needs a long run of games to get into his rhythm. He has more talent that Ramsey/Coquelin/Xhaka/Elneny hands down so if he can get through an entire season with Bournemouth he could be up for a massive season with Arsenal the next year.
I completely respect Jack’s loan … makes more sense than not and I believe that’s how the boss felt too.
On a different note, why the obsession with the price of a player and playing time? In my mind there is no correlation. One player doesn’t a team make. And thankfully, that is the boss’ sentiment as well. Apparently.
Having to choose between Jack and Rambo? I’d keep Aaron and let go Jack. As much as Jack is more technically endowed, Rambo offers more grit, has a bigger (and fitter) engine on him and is more disciplined in his tackling. Forget the “Arsenal man” tag. There’re no loyal players left in the game. How many have kissed the badge one day and handed in transfer request the next?
How quick we forget..Arsene seems to be the only person who has Jacks back..English media and fans have given up on him. The guy is the real deal and England’s best player. The way he is treated by our own fans at times is embarrassing..Wow he smoked twice and is friends with Mr bell end Joe Hart.
That infamous Barca game when he was the key part of the Cesc , Song 3some, which matched the Xavi ,iniesta and busquets machine.
Look what a half fit with no consistent football for YEARS jack can do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGIKb16AjyU