Jack Wilshere has confirmed that he will leave Arsenal when his contract ends in 13 days time.
The 26-year-old revealed that he’s been in extensive and ongoing talks with the club about staying at the Emirates but has made his decision for football rather than financial reasons after talks with new coach Unai Emery.
In a statement on Instagram, the England international wrote: “I can confirm that I will be leaving Arsenal Football Club when my contract expires at the end of June.
“Following a number of extensive conversations with those at the club, and in particular a recent meeting with the new manager, Unai Emery, I felt that I was ultimately left with little choice but to make the decision that I have due to purely footballing reasons.
“As has widely been reported I, along with my representative, have been in talks with the club for a number of months with the view to signing a new contract to extend my stay at the Emirates.
“My intention throughout these discussions has always been to remain an Arsenal player. I have been on the books at Arsenal for 17 years and have always felt part of the fabric of the club. Such was my desire to stay that I had in fact recently agreed to sign a financially reduced contract in order to commit my future to the club.
“However, following my meeting with the new manager I was made aware that, although the reduced contract offer remained, it was made clear to me that my playing time would be significantly reduced should I decide to stay.
“I am sure everyone can understand that at this point in my life and career I need to be playing regular first team football and following my meeting with Mr Emery I came away feeling that it would be very difficult for me to do so at Arsenal.
“Given this, I feel I have no option but to pursue other opportunities in order to progress my career on the pitch.
“I’m feeling fit, sharp and strong and will be working tirelessly to ensure I am in peak condition ahead of the new season. I’ll now be taking the time necessary to consider my options before deciding on the next stage of my career.
“I would like to place on record my respect for Mr Emery and my appreciation for his honesty and candor, and I wish him, the team and the club all the very best for the future.”
So that’s that. Wilshere, who joined Arsenal as a 9-year-old, has played his last game for the club.
It’s a sad day for him and for those fans who saw him take the Premier League as a 16-year-old. We’ve lamented the impact of bad injuries on players so often recently – Tomas Rosicky, Abou Diaby, Santi Cazorla to name but a few – and the same regrets stand for Jack.
Fingers crossed he can stay injury free in the future, we, like Arsenal, wish him all the best.
It remains to be seen who he signs for, but he won’t be short of suitors. The likes of Crystal Palace, West Ham, Southampton, Everton and Juventus have all been linked.
Sad, but all things come to an end.
Good luck, Jack.
True…
I’m honestly hoping we never have those kind of injury repetitions that somehow come up on our young players and rob them of possibly great careers.
Wilshire was the last of those with us now.
Shere Wilpower to you, wherever you go
Wish him all the best.
All the best to Jack. Hope he goes to Juventus and has a few good years at the top.
The problem is that he wants guaranteed playing time. As many have said, that is not a demand you can make not least when you’re not exactly in the form of your life. Hope he goes abroad or Southampton.
I can’t say I am devastated if I am honest. I think people are a bit dewey eyed about him because he came up through the youth ranks. I felt a bit disappointed when decided to go on loan to Bournemouth. I wish him all the best but regard this as a positive outcome for all concerned. We need to rebuild and that means offloading players that maybe have not reached their potential. He is one of those players.
Why would you wanna punish him with Mark Hughes?
Sad stuff considering the breakthrough he was. He always did fight for the shirt, even if his performances were not up to scratch. All the best Jack!!
This is truly the arsenal without wenger now… Wilshere was a pure arsene player. Love you wilshere.
We all knew that this new era would bring with it sacrifices, and unfortunately Wilshere was a victim of that. It’s really no surprise that Emery was not willing to make any promises and I think, deep down, Wilshere knows that he would struggle to get into this midfield on merit. Best of luck to him wherever he goes but it’s a shame that his Arsenal career ended the same way as many who left before him – as what could have been rather that what was.
Bit sad about this. Wish him all the best. I hope wherever he goes, he does well.
it’s sad indeed. However this might be good for both sides, arsenal need a better player than jack, and jack needs to play in a consistent capacity and that’s not possible at the club right now.
bye bye and good luck jackie boy..
theres no one better at the club than jack
There’s no one better than him in the whole league.
And what do we think of tottenham…..
And my old man said be a tottenham fan
I said……
It will be strange to see him in another club’s kit (just as it was for Giroud), but I don’t think we are losing much in his departure. For whatever reason, he never became the player we all hoped he would and, at this stage of his career, it’s hard to see it happening at all. I wish him all the best, he’s been a Gunner through-and-through! On another note, I would have been very surprised if Emery as an incoming coach could have provided him with promises about playing time that weren’t contingent on performance and fitness. That was… Read more »
OK I am a bit pissed, but this makes me genuinely sad. Some great memories.
Makes me sad what hes was offered in comparison to what other less influential players get
Hoping the No.10 jersey will go to talented winger. I really miss having a nasri/arshavin kind of a player that can work magic and dribble his way through …
I suspect Ozil will want it
I hope Ozil deserves it.
yeah, but he doesn,t deserve it
Na$ri is the worlds biggest cunt though.
Thought so too until I read an interview that he claimed that Wenger approached him and Cesc and told them that he was forced to sell one of the two by Kroenke…Don’t know if it’s true, just saying we never what really happens all the time…
ReNasri, read that article too… It was upsetting
Hard to think of a bigger one I suppose, but how about Eric Lamela? maybe a bigger one?
Özil has an entire social media brand based around the #10 so I imagine there will be a ruckus if it goes to anyone else!
Wasn’t the number 10 part of Ozil’s massive new contract?
tuff shit on ozil, if he don’t get it
Perhaps, the missing ingredient to the very best of Ozil is the no. 10 shirt…
ozil is playing the best he can now, he cant play any better
isnt mkhytaryan that kind?
yes
Nasri. That’s disgusting.
Thank you Jack. I hope you find your best form and with it consistency to tear apart teams like we know you can.
We will always remember you for that goal against Norwich and for asking “what do you think of Tottenham?”
The last several of those wonderful interchanges for the Norwich goal were between Jack and Olivier Giroud. Now both will be gone.
That’s a sad way to go. Good luck Jack I am sure you will be fine. Thank you so much for the moments and commitment over the many years. x
Although I understand why this might be best for all concerned, it’s still a sad day.
Good luck Jack. Hope it works out for you wherever you go.
Classy statement on Instagram. Cheers, Jack.
What naff’s me off about this is that JW has overcome by is setbacks in the last couple of seasons to prove his worth. He is a talented footballer and I just hope that the newer signings come up to scratch quickly. Good luck Jack in your new venture, we will miss you!
Sad to see him go, he’s a true Arsenal lad. I’ll fondly remember him in his bucket hat with microphone in hand after the FA cup final win. Good luck Jack.
Haha remember him wearing that hat the rest of the off-season.
Good times
A sad day, I remember his debut against Sheffield Utd, I was there, he looked such a talent. His injuri3s really affected his path and he never quite fulfilled that talent. Im not saying it’s the wrong decision but I just hoped he could have stayed and seen if a new coach could unlock that obvious takent. It just wasn’t mean to be. Love you jack, good luck!
It’s all happening, players signing, players being released and it’s not even deadline day! No comments about difficult the transfer widow is especially because it’s world cup time, etc.
Hope this efficiency is transferred to the field as well.
Good luck Wilshere. Guess, the move to Bournemouth cost him, as much as his injuries. Hope it gets better for him.
Should have signed the contract.
His body can’t take a 50 game season anyway.
Would get 20-30 games at Arsenal easily.
Could have played his way into Emery’s plans as well ?
He didn’t have the choice in the end did he?
Page 2 of his Instagram statement: “the reduced contract offer remained”, totally his choice to find a new challenge.
Ah thanks.
Lol what… did you skip the article to go straight to the comments?! 🙂
Should’ve signed under Wenger if he really wanted to stay. Wenger protected the lad excellently.
I’ll miss him, but I think it’s a good decision by Arsenal.
Norwich goal has to be his best highlight.
Stay healthy, Jack! Good Luck!
That Barca performance for me will be his pinnacle.
I don’t think anyone’s at fault here. Let’s hope both sides win in the end.
Kind of knew that it was coming but still leaves a bit of a pit in my stomach. Thanks for the memories and best of luck Jack. Would love to see you killing it in Italy.
My first season of supporting Arsenal was also the one in which Jack made his breakthrough. Even though we had no meaningful success on the pitch, I will forever treasure that time of my life as Arsenal slowly became an inseparable part of me. It’s unbearably sad to see him go but such is life. Good luck wherever you go, Jack. Once a Gunner…
What a great summer this is turning out to be. Good luck to him and hopefully he finds somewhere more his level.
What a genuinely crappy sentiment.
Sentiment stagnated this club for 10 years.
I love Jack playing style and I feel so sad that he is leaving us.. But the main thing is we really need a change @ arsenal and I will not be surprised if we sell few players. Move on jack!
Hmm, I wonder what happened in his conversation with Unai. Because he did mention that he had already agreed to sign the contract.
Talk was he wanted assurances of playing time and Emery couldn’t give him that.
Really hope he makes the best decision for his career from an actual football perspective now, not a lifestyle one. I’m sure signing for Palace or West Ham will have the least impact on his personal life, will it be beneficial to his football career? I’m less sure.
im devasteted. ive been such a fan. got 2 jerseys(out of 5[quite young]) but tbh i think(i dont know shit) hes scared to fight. im angry, sad….no one knows what is running behind the scenes but if its true that his demand was to start than, well….
All the best for u and your lovely family, have a great life but like my ex girlfriend i never wanna see you again.
after wenger and giroud it feels like a family torn apart. so much cry, so much sad.
So much bollox
Too few British based players are prepared to take on the challenge abroad – even now.
So I will doff my hat to him if he opts for Italy.
Sincerely wish him the best as long as he doesn’t go to a rival.
Let’s hope that Ramsey signs now. Make him captain too.
tis a sad, sad day for arsenal supporters everywhere, thank you so much jack for all you have done for arsenal, you will be sorely missed, a true gunner through and through, good luck jack, all the best
Get Out of England Jack. His fleet of foot style is suited more for Spain or Italy. He’ll get kicked less and have more time on the ball to dribble or make a killer pass. Might even be able to ressurect his England career.
Good luck Jack. Just don’t sign with United or Spurs.
Or the renters
Well Fuck.
Sad day. An absolute fan favourite. If Ramsey doesn’t sign/goes, this year will be the official end of the “British Core” project.
On squad related news, Jack leaving also throws another problem; in that this squad is seriously lacking dribblers. Just recently we had;
Jack
Sanchez
Cazorla
Ox
Heck even Gnabry
Iwobi.
Now only Iwobi is left, and performance has been questionable and could do with a loan. We’ve added Mikhi, but he’s only real one of starting quality and is 29.
Bye Felicia.
He won’t get more playing time or more money at Juve, so I really doubt he’s going there. He woulda just stayed at Arsenal if that were the case. He’ll end up at some lower tier PL club who will pay him a lot because of who he was, not because of who he is. I hope he does well but I don’t really buy the “I’m doing this for footballing reasons,” he tried going to a lower tier PL club and couldn’t even get in the starting lineup there. The footballing choice was to swallow his pride, take the… Read more »
I have to agree. Jack performs better when surrounded by top techical players – part of why he didn’t hit the heights at Bournemouth (even though they play decent football).
I don’t see him reaching his top form at a lower PL club, or getting much plating time another top 6 club. I fear his career could peter out after leaving Arsenal.
I feel that moving overseas would probably be best for Jack. But I doubt he will, given so few English players do.
I hope things works out Jack!
I don’t think you can say any of that unless you were in the room with him and Emery. The comment about not getting in the Bournemouth starting lineup is also strange. He was recovering from a serious injury and a huge layoff when he joined them, and also missed the end of their season. Yet he still made 27 starts for a team that got nowhere in the cups. The fact is if he goes to a “lower tier PL club” (you’re saying it like we didn’t finish 6th!) he’s gonna start and get the minutes he needs.
How many times are people going to make thesestatements about Jack not getting a game at Bournemouth when others have pointed out the facts many times ?
He made 22 starts & 5 sub appearances in the league having missed their first 3 games (only signed on deadline day) & their last 5 games. (Injured)
Enough please. It’s just stupid to keep repeating it when clearly untrue.
What a prick. For years we have been paying him without a guarantee of any contributions from him and now he is like well without guarantee of playing I’m going. The only person this will hurt I believe is Wiltshire himself. Unless he goes to a top top footballing team then he is gonna go downhill very rapidly unfortunately. He has proven that he is very average in a poor non technical team like Bournemouth so nobody will have patience like Arsene or Arsenal had with him. Good luck mate but ask Hleb, Song, Nasri, Adebayor and Co how well… Read more »
Wow … Just Wow.
“The likes of Crystal Palace, West Ham, Southampton, Everton and Juventus have all been linked.”
Apart from Juve (I don’t think he would play there with Khedira, Can, Matuidi, Marchisio), the teams which are following him tells a lot about Jack’s performance in the past years.
Anyway, GL Jack!
This means the club will overpay Ramsey to stay. Big mistake!
Good luck wherever you end up, Jack.
Quite gutted to read this. Unfortunately no one is a guaranteed starter at a big club so I think Jack is not being realistic in that respect. Everyone has to fight for their place. If he wants guaranteed playing time then it points to a lack of ambition. Still given he can leave on a free now I wouldn’t bet against someone a bit better than Palace or West Ham looking at him. I would rather not see him in the Premier League to be honest. I always wanted him to see out his career with us. Hope he goes… Read more »
Let’s all take a moment to remember that Norwich goal.
Best of luck to you Jack!
Norwich goal was as much crafted by Giroud. Just saying…another highly underrated player.
Crystal Palace will have a nice player. Will likely go down next year.
Sad end..like Diaby before him we are robbed of a real world class talent that never got to shine its brightest yet still showed many a moment of brilliance despite what everybody says.
Too true.
Jack still has some distance left in him.
Diaby was truly tragic. He was the ultimate balance of skill, height, power in midfield for us. BUT so few moments thanks to injuries. Very sad indeed.
Sad to see him go but ‘times they are a changing,’ like so many of our recent players a lot of unrealized talent.
I think the teams looking to,pick Jack up as a free agent say a lot…
Good Luck jack.. stay fit and show what we are missing
Probably the right thing. He is an excellent player on the day but doubts remain over whether he will be able to sustain the level through an entire campaign. Last season, we saw his level drop after 2 or 3 decent performances. Wear and tear issues will also continue to plague him with age. That said, it means we will have to bring someone in who can carry the ball up field through the middle with quick feet. Torreiro fits the bill if otherwise, we could do with a bit of height still. BUT if someone can come in and… Read more »
I think we will see a new midfielder plus Granit.
Then my opinion is both AMN and Iwobi should also be in the mix.
Personally feel we should be grooming AMN to challenge Bellerin. Don’t really see the point of Lichsteiner beyond insurance.
BUT AMN can also continue education in midfield.
Iwobi I feel has been played in wrong position. He needs to be played from deeper where he can bring to bear his strength and technical skills. He can also then see the play better.
Elneny is strictly back up from the bench. Truly mediocre.
Sad to see another AW link go but he couldn’t stay at the club on his terms under a new manager.
Wish him a healthy time and hope he does well except against us,of course.
All these changes just make me more excited for the season to start.
CAN NOT WAIT
Good luck , jack !!!
Will miss you.
Stay fit
Agree with the first point.
No we wont on the second
No he wont on the third.
jack is a great player, the only reason he had a dip in form was because of his injurys, he had a lot of injurys that’s why was playing hot and cold, he needed to have a run in the team to get going again, that’s all, if he hadn,t of had so many injurys he would have been an England and arsenal regular, no doubt, I hope people will understand this
Didn’t read your post before giving you a thumbs down just coz your name most times precedes total spurs… But you are right. However, the thumbs down stays for all the times you’ve pissed me off and I just looked the other way