Arsenal News: Wenger reveals talks Southgate talks and Wilshere contract plans
JACK WILSHERE has been told he has still not done enough to make the England squad despite Arsene Wenger virtually begging Gareth Southgate to include him.
Arsenal star Jack Wilshere has been left out of the England squad
The England manager will once again overlook the Arsenal playmaker when he names his squad at 2pm today for the friendly double-header against Germany and Brazil on November 10 and 14 at Wembley.
By contrast, Wenger will bring him in against Red Star Belgrade tonight at the Emirates, but it is the Arsenal manager’s decision to restrict him to just 13 Premier League minutes that is understood to be behind Southgate’s decision to reward Tottenham’s Harry Winks’ impressive debut against Lithuania with another call-up.
Even though Southgate travelled to the Emirates on Saturday in the hope of seeing Wilshere in the Premier League and discussed the 25-year-old’s prospects with Wenger before kick-off, the Frenchman once again left the player on the bench.
“I spoke to him about Jack before the Swansea game,” said Wenger. “He just asked me how he is and I said no restrictions. He’s in a very good way.”
Furthermore, he had used the preview to tonight’s match to urge Southgate to consider the long-term benefits of welcoming Wilshere back into the international fold for the first time since this time last year, when he was an unused substitute for the games against Scotland and Spain while on loan at Bournemouth.
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Arsene Wenger is preparing his Arsenal side to face Red Star Belgrade
The aim is to clear up the situation before the transfer window opens
Wenger on Wilshere contract
“I am convinced it would help him, personally,” said Wenger.
“When you have been so frustrated at so many times, every positive experience is welcome. It would be a positive as well because you have the World Cup and you have a new manager who has not used him yet, so that for certain would play a positive part in his head.”
Even at club level, Wilshere’s future is slightly uncertain, with his current deal due to run out in the summer, but Wenger wants him to keep his head clear of that sort of worry until December, when he says a decision will be made whether to offer him a new contract.
“I said many times that would be decided in December,” added Wenger. “I wanted to give him six months not to think about that and see where we go. But yes, the aim is to clear up the situation before the transfer window opens.
“We have Mesut Ozil too in the last year of his contract and ideally you want to keep both of them.”
Ultimately, Wenger sees the pair as direct rivals for a place among the front three and feels the change to a back three could unlock the best from Wilshere rather than deploying him in a deeper role.
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Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere was last included in the England squad in November 2016
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Jermaine Jenas hails Jack Wilshere's impressive performance
“I see him more as a player who can affect the game in the final third than a box-to-box player,” said Wenger. “I see him more as somebody who has a quick response, quick reactions in the final third and the quality of the pass in the final third.
“He can chip a little ball, he can pass people on the short space. That’s why I think the system suits him well.”
Despite their largely Wilshere-inspired success in tonight’s competition, a large number of empty seats are again expected to be empty as the Europa League struggles to capture the imagination of mainly corporate season-ticket holders.
Nevertheless, the club announced yesterday the capacity is set to be increased by 780 Club level seats to take the Emirates up to 60,600 in a two-stage development process over the next two summers.
