Jack Wilshere reaffirms his love for Arsenal ahead of December talks
Jack Wilshere dreams of putting pen to paper on a new Arsenal contract… and then emulating the Gunners’ 1989 title winners.
Wilshere’s current deal expires at the end of the season and no talks have yet taken place over an extension for the midfielder, who has been blighted by a string of injuries over recent years.
Wilshere told Standard Sport in September that he saw he still saw his long-term future at the club, despite spending last season on loan at Bournemouth.
And Arsene Wenger confirmed earlier this month that Wilshere’s future would be decided in December, with the playmaker having enjoyed a resurgence in form that, while impressive, has not been enough to earn him either a starting spot in Arsenal’s strongest side or a recall to the England squad.
Whilst Wilshere’s improved showings and expiring contract have seen him linked with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, who also targeted him in 2015, the 25-year-old is desperate to stay in north London.
“I’ve been here 10 years, I love this club and feel like I have a special relationship with the fans,” Wilshere told Standard Sport. “Of course I want to stay.
“At the moment I’m concentrating on getting into the Premier League team. I’ve been playing quite a lot of football and I’m happy with where I am fitness wise but I want to be playing for Arsenal in the league.
“We’ll see [about contract negotiations]. Christmas is coming up, I’ve heard the manager saying they’ll talk to me before then so we’ll see.”
Wilshere joined a host of iconic Arsenal names including George Graham, Tony Adams and Lee Dixon at the premiere of 89, a documentary on the side who piped Liverpool to the 1989 league title with a last-gasp goal from Michael Thomas at Anfield.
That triumph marked the launch of a glorious 15-year period at Arsenal as Graham and eventual successor Wenger won four league titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and the 1994 Cup Winners’ Cup, culminating in the ‘Invincibles’ of 2004.
The last 13 years have brought a trio of FA Cups but Arsenal have struggled to compete at the top of the Premier League. Wilshere, though, is still dreaming of bringing the top prizes to the Emirates.
“As soon as I got the invitation it was guaranteed I was going to come,” Wilshere said. “It’s a massive moment in Arsenal’s history. We’ve still got people in the club who were then, I wasn’t even born but I’ve seen the goals and heard the impact it had on the club. They did it in such a special way. That’s what we want to do as well.
“I dream of replicating these players. It’s what I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid, when I was in the Academy at Arsenal. We’ve won the FA Cup, come close in the League Cup but the big one is the Premier League. It’s what we all want and what we’re trying to do.
“There’s a lot of quality in this league, to be champions would be very special.”
89 is available in OurScreen cinemas from 11th November & on DVD & Digital Download from 20th November.