Arsenal news: Jack Wilshere offered to Trabzonspor as part of £14.4m Yusuf Yazici deal

Wilshere, 25, was heavily linked with a move away from Arsenal in the summer after returning from his season-long loan spell at Bournemouth. 

Trabzonspor were interested in signing the injury-plagued midfielder after club president Muharrem Usta confirmed they were close to bringing him in on loan. 

But he revealed that the deal stalled at the last minute with Wilshere opting to stay at the Emirates.

However, Turkish outlet Haberturk claim things could have been different for Wilshere had Trabzonspor accepted Arsenal’s surprise offer. 

Arsene Wenger is apparently a keen admirer of the Turkish side’s star man Yazici, who scored six goals and provide 10 assists in the Super Lig last season. 

It is said he offered them £14.4million for his services as he looked to bolster his midfield ranks. 

But Haberturk say Wilshere was included as part of the deal, with Arsenal offering him to bring the £9m fee for Yazici up to £14.4m. 

However, Trabzonspor rejected their proposal as they reckon Yazici is worth at least £18m. 

Wilshere has impressed for the Gunners since returning to fitness, making three appearances in cup competitions. 

He is yet to feature in the Premier League, but Wenger is hoping he remains fit

"Jack Wilshere struggled historically with repeated injuries and no one could question his talent, nobody would question his exceptional ability to beat people with the ball," Wenger told beIN Sports. 

"But in this job you need to have health. The requests and demands of the competition, physically, are so high and you can only be at your best if you can play at least 10 games on the trot. That's what's at stake for Jack Wilshere.

"He needs to keep his health and be capable of competing. If he can play from now until December at the top level, he will be back. If he has other set-backs then it will be more difficult.

"It's a vital season because he's nearing the end of his contract, it's a World Cup year and he has been an Arsenal player since he was a kid, so all that's at stake for him and for us as well because you'd love a player like him of that quality to come back.

"In fact he had a very good game in BATE Borisov, especially a brilliant first half where he was back to his best, so he's not far away now. Let's hope in the next two or three weeks he can play regularly in the first team.”