Is Jack Wilshere Literally “Too Arsenal” To Sell?

Jack Wilshere joined the Arsenal youth academy when he was nine years old. When I was nine years old, I was in the fourth grade worried about math homework. But not Wilshere, he was signing on for one of the most revered football clubs in the world, where he would remain until present day.

Many critics out there will say that Jack Wilshere hasn’t lived up to expectations at the Emirates. That he’s squandered the chance to become one of England’s premier footballers. They’ll tell you that his smoking habits are proof that he’s immature, unreliable and will never be anything in the world of football. But those same critics usually ignore the mass of injuries that have quite literally derailed the young midfielder’s career.

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In four years, he’s made 58 appearances. That’s an incredibly small sample size. This year, prior to getting hurt, he had put a really good run of form together before being cruelly dismantled by another injury.

And then there’s the smoking fiasco. While even Roy Hodgson has defended Wilshere and admitted that smoking the dreaded and brutal shisha isn’t anything to freak out about (Telegraph), the all-knowing media world still paints it as a sign that Wilshere is doomed.

And then there’s the transfer rumors. Back in August of last year, the Mirror reported that Juventus was interested in the young midfielder. Now, it’s Manchester City who are reportedly eyeing up a 30 million pound bid according to the Manchester Evening News.

But regardless of what those teams want, my question is this: can Jack Wilshere even be sold?

Wherever Wilshere goes, he gets booed. I’m sure it’s a point of pride for him. Everywhere he’s played, he finds a way to create enemies, and I’m perfectly okay with that. He’s got a gritty, bulldog mentality and there are few people on the Arsenal squad that would go for a full-on headbutt on Marouane Fellaini, but Jack Wilshere did it and I think we’re all much fonder of him from it.

I would see a sale of Jack Wilshere as his death sentence. Where else would he be able to draw the same passion that he does for Arsenal? Where else could he utilize his mentality for the good of the club? Certainly not Manchester City, one of the many destinations where he is profusely booed.

Being 23 now, he’s spent 15 years with the club. It really has become the “second home” he dubbed Arsenal back when he was 18 years old.

I liken it to Danny Welbeck, who I still believe is being held back by his love for Manchester United. A love that began when he was 8-years old and signed by the Red Devils. 

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However, I see Jack Wilshere as much more Arsenal than Welbeck was United. Welbeck was never really given a chance to play for United. He’s had to play for several different managers as well. Wilshere has always been like a prodigal son of Arsene Wenger. He’s been given chance after chance but injuries have ruined his chances.

To sell Wilshere would crush him. Again, where else could he play? He was born Arsenal.

So to answer the question – Yes, I think Wilshere is “Too Arsenal” to sell. But to expand on that, I don’t see Wenger as wanting to sell him anyways. Yes, Francis Coquelin has emerged, but depth never hurt anyone, and you know Wilshere will always give his all, it’s his personality. The harder it gets to get into the starting XI, the harder he’ll work to get there.

If Arsene Wenger was willing to give Abou Diaby 42 injuries before he even started debating cutting ties with him, then Jack Wilshere has plenty of time.

And to all the critics who say he “hasn’t impressed” during his time at Arsenal, I’d like to see them impress when every couple months their hard work is interrupted by weeks to months of down time and recovery. It’s no easy feat to recover. Not just physically, but mentally. If you continuously take blows to your ankle and you know how fragile they are, then when players start a slide tackle, you panic, and it takes mental strength to blot out that panic and press on.

All Jack Wilshere needs is a good run of health. He’s not being sold and he’s not going to stay benched for long. He has too much talent and too much determination.

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