Alex Iwobi is eager for Jack Wilshere to return to the Arsenal first-team, even if it costs the youngster his place in Arsene Wenger's starting lineup.
Wilshere, 24, has not played a minute of senior football this season but completed his second full match with the Under-21s on Monday, scoring against West Brom in a 2-1 defeat.
Arsene Wenger has since confirmed that he will consider the midfielder, who is desperate to prove his fitness to England head coach Roy Hodgson ahead of this summer's European Championships, for Sunday's match away to Sunderland.
Iwobi, who has started Arsenal's last five matches, scoring twice and laying on the same number of assists,, could be among those who feel the pressure of Wilshere's return to the squad but he believes the England international will be crucial as Arsenal look to secure their Champions League berth for next season.
“It will be great to have him back," he said. "He’s definitely a player with lots of energy but he combines that with scoring goals and getting assists.
“He’s definitely a key player to the team in my opinion.”
It is a belief echoed by Wenger, who is confident Wilshere can prove himself over the remainder of the season.
"He has absorbed well his first obstacle of getting games," Wenger said in his pre-match press conference. "That means he has finally got 90 minutes and he has had no setbacks and the positives are that in every game he was sharper. That means he has a good fitness basis.
"Overall, the progression should be normal. I don’t think he will be available for selection [against West Brom], but from then it is whether I select him or not...
"The European Championship starts on June 10 and until then is nearly two months. If you look at his fitness at the moment, in two months he should be perfectly fit."
