Arsene Wenger backs Jack Wilshere to earn new Arsenal contract

Demoted: Jack Wilshere is playing for the Under-23s to build up his fitness
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
James Olley24 August 2017

Arsene Wenger has admitted Jack Wilshere faces an uncertain future at Arsenal – but believes the midfielder could yet earn a new contract to stay at the club.

Wilshere is in the final year of his current deal at Emirates Stadium and has been told he can leave in search of regular first-team football.

Wilshere spent last season on loan at Bournemouth but the south coast club have so far opted against a permanent move and only Aston Villa and Sampdoria are yet to show any sustained interest.

The 25-year-old is currently assessing his options and may choose to stay and fight for his place with the Gunners, a decision which may look more appealing after Wenger claimed there remains a possibility he could be offered fresh terms.

“If he gets back to his best and wants to stay, we have to sit down, I think, later in the season. I don’t rule that out,” said Wenger.

“I’m open with Jack. We have honest conversations. I’m open to what is the best for him. He is at the stage of his career where he needs to play and I can’t guarantee him today that, and I think I’m quite open on that.

“You know how much I love Jack and his talent, I started him at the age of 17 but today in the football world you need to be a consistent presence and what is at stake for Jack is not his quality, his talent or his determination, it is whether he is a consistent presence at the top. I hope he can manage to do that and after nobody questions his quality.”

Wilshere is currently rebuilding his match fitness after suffering a broken leg in April but that process is now complicated by a two-game suspension, reduced from three match following a successful appeal, following a red card in Monday’s Under 23s match against Manchester City.

Jack Wilshere returns to Arsenal training

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After reacting badly to a late tackle from Matt Smith, Wilshere became involved in a brawl with Tyreke Wilson and received his marching orders. He is still available for first-team selection but banned for the Under 23s, who face Liverpool next on Friday night at Melwood.

​Wenger, however, had sympathy for Wilshere. “At my stage and with my experience in football, I can understand a lot - especially what happened to him,” he said.

“Ideally he should not have responded at all but when you have gone through what he has gone through, with bad tackles, it was a human reaction.

“At the moment he is working very hard to come back after his fracture so overall another setback would be terrible and it was a bad tackle.”

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