Arsenal: Uncertain Jack Wilshere Future Has Huge Ramifications

Jack Wilshere is uncertain over his future. The longer it is in doubt, the greater the ramifications are for Arsenal and himself.

Jack Wilshere is currently enjoying the best year of his career since bursting onto the scene as a fresh-faced 18-year-old at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield alongside a then world-class Cesc Fabregas. However, with 18 months remaining on his contract, his future is far from certain.

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Benik Afobe, someone who graduated through the youth system at the Emirates alongside Wilshere and now finds himself at Bournemouth with his old youth teammate, has stated that Wilshere does not know what will happen after his loan deal with the Cherries ends:

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"“To be honest I don’t think even he knows what he is going to be doing. We have conversations all the time and he just wants to play week in week out and take it month by month and see what happens at the end of the season. The main thing for him is about getting his confidence back and staying injury free. He is working hard every day, he is a top professional, and he has brought some life into the squad.”"

That is a worrying statement. Whether you believe Wilshere is an overhyped youngster who has lost what little talent he had thanks to years of horrific injury issues or whether you are still a believer in the midfielder, holding steadfast to the ideal that he can still deliver on the vast potential that he boasted earlier in his career, what is most important is the opinion of Arsene Wenger, and the French manager has always heralded the talent of his young prospect.

However, if Wenger is now wavering on his long-time evaluation of Wilshere, then that will have huge ramifications. It has been thought for many years that Wilshere would grow into the heart and soul of Arsenal’s team.

If that is no longer the belief of his manager, then the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and even Granit Xhaka may well be touted, at least internally, as the future of Arsenal’s midfield, Arsenal will no longer hang on the hopes of an injury-stricken talent and Wilshere himself will have to make decisions that are heavily impacted without the steadfast belief of his manager that his career has been founded on thus far.

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I am still uncertain on the future of Wilshere, on whether he should still be backed as the future linchpin or sold as lacklustre, underwhelming story. However, Wenger needs to come to a final decision so that everyone impacted, Wilshere, his Arsenal teammates and Wenger, can begin to look forward using such a decision as a foundation.