Arsenal: Jack Wilshere contract not on present, but on something more

Jack Wilshere is reportedly set to pen a new contract to stay at Arsenal. The decision is not based on the present, but on something more; the decision is not based on what he is, but what he could be.

The future of Jack Wilshere is nearing some form of certainty, at least for now, anyway. The midfielder, whose contract expires at the end of the season, is seemingly set to sign a new extension which could see him remain at Arsenal for another three years.

Catch the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal podcast right here

His future is a contentious topic. Wilshere has always been a contentious topic. While his natural talent is almost unrivalled, his production has never matched such other-worldly potential. Injuries, as ever, as well as some attitudinal problems, scuppered his progress.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

And now, here he is, 26 years of age, dipping in and out of the starting XI, perhaps a little undeservedly, if his recent performances are anything to go by, with his future formerly hanging by a thread. That, for many fans, is the crux of the contractual issue with Wilshere. Does his current form really deserve a new contract, especially one that has reportedly been bumped up after his prolonged hesitance to agree to one?

The answer, I believe, is a fairly categorical and affirmative ‘no’. While Wilshere looked extremely sharp earlier in the season deputising for Aaron Ramsey when the Welshman missed the winter with a hamstring problem, thanks to what is presumably a lack of fitness and a growing fatigue at playing a long season, something that he has rarely done in his career beforehand, Wilshere’s form has deteriorated substantially.

But that is not what this contract, I believe, is about. Arsenal are not signing Wilshere a new deal because of the present, though I am sure that it plays a part in their thinking. They are signing Wilshere to a new deal because of something much more: the future.

The talent of Wilshere has never been doubted. Whether he still possesses such abilities is another question, especially elements of his game that rely on his physical skill set, elements like his explosive quickness in short areas, his deceptive agility and astute balance. But he, at least one point in his career, has proven himself capable of possessing the skills to be a truly top-tier central midfielder.

Arsenal are paying him for what he could be, not what he is. Now, is that the right move? Well, it could certainly be argued that Wilshere will never reach the level that was hoped of him because of the career-ravaging injuries that he has suffered. But that, I believe, is the rationale behind the new contract.

Some may complain that Wilshere’s form does not deserve a new deal. They may well be right in their stance. But Arsenal aren’t paying him for that. Rightly or wrongly, they’re paying for potential. Only time will tell if it is a sensible investment or not.