Jack Wilshere has revealed he will sit down for talks with Arsene Wenger about his Arsenal future prior to the January transfer window.
The 25-year-old’s current deal is due to expire at the end of the season but the Arsenal No.10 may be forced to leave at the start of next year if Wenger fails to offer assurances of regular first-team football.
Wilshere is desperate to force his way back into the England squad in time for the 2018 World Cup but Gareth Southgate has already warned him he needs to play regularly for Arsenal to get back into contention.
Despite being promised a more prominent role for Arsenal this season, Wilshere has been limited to Europa League football and plans to thrash out his future with Wenger.
“I’ve said before that I want to stay here and play,” The Daily Telegraph quote Wilshere as saying. “I’ve been at this club for 10 years. I don’t have to say how much this club means to me, how good they have been to me.
“But at the same time, the boss has got to be honest with me and I’m sure he will. I think we will have to talk about that [leaving in January] when it comes down to it. We have got a month until then and me and the boss will probably have a conversation before then and see what happens because obviously when January comes I have only got six months left on my contract.
“We have known each other for long enough and we have a good relationship where we can be honest with each other so I’m sure we will be and then we will go from there.”
Since returning to full fitness at the end of September, Wilshere has only managed 25 minutes of playing time in the Premier League spread over two substitute appearances.
Wilshere has started four of Arsenal’s five Europa League matches this term and garnered an impressive 7.33 rating in the competition. In fact, only Theo Walcott (7.74) has a higher WhoScored rating in the Europa League for Arsenal (2+ apps).
