JACK: SORT MY FUTURE BEFORE WORLD CUP
ENGLAND MIDFIELDER LOOKS TIE DOWN CONTRACT BEFORE FOCUSING ON RUSSIA 2018
Jack Wilshere would like his Arsenal future sorted before the World Cup – quite a change in fortunes for a player told he could leave by Arsene Wenger at the start of the season.
The 26-year-old found himself at a crossroads in his career last summer, having returned from Bournemouth after a promising loan spell that ended with yet another injury.
Struggling for fitness and game-time, Wilshere had not represented his country since the excruciating Euro 2016 last-16 exit to Iceland and was staring down the barrel at Arsenal.
A two-time FA Cup winner at a club he joined in 2001, the midfielder was told by Wenger that he could leave while cycling in the gym.
“It was an honest conversation,” Wilshere said.
“We have known each other long enough where we can have that relationship where we are honest with each other.
“It was boiling up for a while because everybody knew I had a year left on my deal and I had been out on loan, got injured, and wasn’t really in his plans.
“He said, ‘I am going to be honest with you and at the moment we are not going to be offering you a contact, so if you can get a contract somewhere else, you can go’.
“Obviously I was not happy with that, but, at the same time, I was happy he was being honest.
“He gave me the opportunity with three or four weeks left in the transfer window, but I did not find anything that I wanted and I was not really fit, so I decided that I wanted to stay and build up my fitness.
“He also said, at the same time, that if I did stay I had an opportunity to fight for my place, and if I performed well in the Carabao Cup and Europa League, I had a chance.”
It was a difficult conversation to digest, but Wilshere is used to setbacks and decided to fight on.
So impressive has Wilshere been that talks are under way over a new deal, with his Arsenal contract up this summer, although there have been mixed messages coming from midfielder and manager as to where negotiations currently stand.
Asked if he would like his club future sorted before England went away, he said: “I have got three months left on my contract. I don’t know how to answer that.
“Ideally, yes, I want it sorted as soon as possible.
“I want to go to the World Cup and enjoy it, but we have three months till then and a lot can happen.
“Ideally, from my pointof-view and the club’s pointof-view, they will probably want it sorted.”
Wilshere claimed it would not be a distraction if it was still unresolved heading into the World Cup, while he “would not say no” to a move abroad if he was to end up leaving. But he is focused on proving himself in “probably one of the most important years of my career”.
Wilshere can win a first England cap in 634 days against Holland tomorrow.
He said: “The World Cup is a massive thing for us and we want to do well. We don’t want to set ourselves any targets, but I think, as well going through after the World Cup, the group is in a good position.”