Jack Wilshere refuses to rule out Arsenal playing return

Jack Wilshere has refused to rule out a return to Arsenal, whom he is currently training with as a free agent.

Wilshere came through the Gunners' youth ranks and was tipped for superstardom before injuries got in the way.

Since leaving the Emirates Stadium in 2018 - a decision he recently admitted he regrets - Wilshere has taken in underwhelming spells with West Ham and more recently AFC Bournemouth, where he spent time on loan during the tail end of his Arsenal days.

The midfielder was released by the Cherries at the end of last season after making just 14 league appearances. Since then Wilshere, who is still just 29, has been training with his boyhood club in an attempt to keep fit in case someone else comes calling.

Speaking on talkSPORT recently, the England international even hinted that he would be open to an on-pitch Arsenal return, should they be interested.

"I went there, very kindly invited by them to come and train, get my fitness back, which I’ve done," he explained.

"I am [training with the first team]. They’ve got a lot of midfielders, they’ve got Ainsley Maitland-Niles…"

Asked whether he has turned out for the Under-23s, Wilshere’s revealed, "no". Asked whether he could in the future, he said, "maybe."

Quizzed on whether he could play for the first team again he said: "Erm, I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know."

Whether Arsenal would be interested in taking Wilshere remains to be seen. Signing him on a short-term deal in January could be attractive though, as Mikel Arteta is set to lose both Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny when the 2021 AFCON kicks off in January.

How long they will be without the pair depends on how well Ghana and Egypt fare at the tournament.

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