Friday 25 August 2017 09:42, UK
Arsene Wenger has challenged Jack Wilshere to earn a new Arsenal deal, but admits the chance to do so may come elsewhere.
The 25-year-old played on loan at Bournemouth last season and missed the end of the campaign with a leg fracture, but is now back in training with the Gunners.
He has been linked with another temporary move, with Aston Villa and Sampdoria reportedly interested in the England international, although he may yet remain in north London to try and stake his place in the Gunners' side.
Wilshere has less than a year on his current contract and Wenger wants to see improvements if he is to 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," the Frenchman said when asked if he planned to offer Wilshere a new deal.
"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.
"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."
As for the possibility of a further loan move for Wilshere, Wenger did suggest he may yet leave the Emirates to show his worth elsewhere.
"I'm open, you know, with Jack. We have honest conversations and I'm open to what is the best for him," added Wenger.
"He is at the stage of his career where he needs to play and I can guarantee him today that, and I think I'm quite open on that."
Wilshere has been working his way back to fitness by turning of for Arsenal's U23 team, although he want sent off in Monday's 4-3 win over Manchester City.
He had impressed until the second-half flashpoint when he reacted to a poor challenge from Tyreke Wilson, which saw both players dismissed.
"At my stage and with my experience in football, I can understand a lot - especially with what has happened to him," Wenger said when asked about Wilshere's reaction.
"Ideally he shouldn't 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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