Wenger says Wilshere still has future at Arsenal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says Jack Wilshere remains in his long-term plans and will be offered a new contract at the Emirates Stadium.

Wilshere, who is currently on loan at Bournemouth, is out of contract at Arsenal in June 2018 but Wenger says the club intends to offer him a new deal in January.

"Yes, of course. That's not just to protect his [transfer] value," the Frenchman said.

"Jack's a special case because he came back from two years with no competition."

The England international has suffered 11 major injuries since 2011, keeping him on the sidelines for a total of 890 days, and Wenger decided to allow the 24-year-old out on loan for the season at the Vitality Stadium.

His career at Arsenal has been blighted by injuries since breaking into the first team in 2008, and he has managed 30 league appearances in just one of his eight seasons at the club.

"I let him go this season because we bought Granit Xhaka, we have Mohamed Elneny, Aaron Ramsey, and I thought if he doesn't play regularly and wasn't fit enough to be in the position to start games...so I let him go," Wenger continued.

Wenger says Wilshere will be welcomed back into the Arsenal first-team squad next season if he comes through his loan spell at Bournemouth unscathed.

"After, we see how he goes at the end of the season. If Jack comes back to his right level he will play for us," he continued.

"My feeling is I want him back. He always said he is an Arsenal man. If you only think about yourself then you go where you like to be. The word 'loyalty' isn't even the right word. He always said he was an Arsenal man."

Wilshere is unavailable for Bournemouth's visit to Arsenal on Sunday under the terms of his loan agreement, but Granit Xhaka is likely to feature despite a slow start to his Premier League career since signing from Borussia Monchengladbach for £35m in the summer.

"He needs to adapt, find the balance. Positionally he is more of a deep midfielder; he passes well through the lines," Wenger continued.

"We have other deep midfielders too. We need to find the right position in the team and adapt to the way we play and adapt to pace of English game. I am confident he will do very well."

Photo (@Getty ImagesDave Thompson)

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