Saturday 4 March 2017 12:25, UK
Arsenal will be hoping Jack Wilshere can cause Manchester United problems when he travels to Old Trafford with Bournemouth on Saturday, but his long-term future is unclear. Could Arsenal's midfield issues open the door for him at the Emirates Stadium?
There is an air of uncertainty hanging over Arsenal. Arsene Wenger appears no closer to deciding his future, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are still stalling on new contracts, and Andries Jonker's sudden departure to Wolfsburg means even the academy is in a state of flux.
There are big decisions looming in all areas of the club, and there's another to be made on Jack Wilshere. The 25-year-old was sent on loan to gain regular playing time away from the competition for places at Arsenal, but it is not long until he reaches the end of his spell on the south coast, and, like Sanchez and Ozil, he has less than 18 months left on his contract. So does he have a long-term future in north London?
Bournemouth's recent struggles have seen them slide towards the relegation zone, but Wilshere's time at the Vitality Stadium has undoubtedly been productive. He started slowly and there was an injury scare against Manchester City recently, but he has completed the 90 minutes in 13 of their last 18 Premier League games. Before this year, he hadn't done that once since September 2014.
There's been good form as well as fitness. Two assists in six months may seem like a modest return, but as Eddie Howe will tell you, Wilshere's impact cannot merely be measured in goal contributions. "His quality on the ball, his technical ability, is second to none," he told Sky Sports News HQ in November. "I think he is so comfortable he's made us a totally different team with the ball."
Bournemouth's recent slump has been a reminder of their flaws, but the stats support the notion that Wilshere has improved them with the ball. Howe's side have averaged more possession than last season, and they have also made more passes at a higher success rate. With Wilshere threading balls into their forwards, they're scoring more too.
Wilshere's progress has not gone unnoticed at his parent club. The 25-year-old remains unclear on his future, but Wenger insisted there were plans to offer him a new contract in November, and amidst a midfield injury crisis in January he was forced to defend the decision to send a player once seen as the future of the club on loan in the first place.
"I could use him now," he admitted. "But if he had not played until now, he would not be ready to play now. What looks unfair at some moments in the season is that you know at some stage you could need the player. Even at the start you need to have the right balance between competition, numbers and chances for the player to play. Still today I think it was the right decision for him to go."
Wenger is right in that Wilshere is unlikely to have played anything like as regularly at the Emirates Stadium, but it wasn't just in January that his absence felt significant. Arsenal have had central midfield issues throughout the season, with Santi Cazorla's endless injury troubles upsetting the balance of the entire team.
The Spaniard makes Arsenal tick, with his incisive distribution from the base of midfield providing an invaluable link between defence and attack. Indeed, since the 2013/14 season, Arsenal average 2.15 points per game with him in the team compared to just 1.70 without him. Wenger has struggled to find a solution this season.
Wilshere is not entirely similar to Cazorla, of course, but in terms of passing, close control and speed of thought, he is arguably the closest Arsenal have in their central midfield ranks. The stats show he has created more chances from open play than Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey combined this season. He has created as many clear-cut scoring opportunities (four) as Mesut Ozil.
That's partly down to having more attacking licence at Bournemouth, but it shows Wilshere has the tools. And while questions remain over whether he has the physical dynamism and durability of an elite modern midfielder, a largely injury-free season on the south coast suggests he might finally have turned a corner.
He also offers the kind of fighting spirit and work-rate Arsenal could be accused of lacking at times this season. Wilshere's competitive edge has landed him in trouble before, but it's a positive attribute too. "What's pleasantly surprised me has been his mentality, his attitude to training, his ability to mould himself to the team, and to fit into that team ethic that we have," said Howe earlier this season.
If Arsenal do decide to usher Wilshere back into the fold in the summer, however, they are unlikely to be the only interested party. Howe has made clear his desire to sign the England international permanently, while Pep Guardiola has not forgotten his virtuoso performance in Arsenal's Champions League win over his Barcelona side in 2011.
The Catalan was spotted chatting to Wilshere in the tunnel prior to Manchester City's recent visit to Bournemouth, and he also waxed lyrical about the midfielder's ability to "destroy defensive structures" in his pre-match press conference.
"He left a massive impression when he came," said Guardiola. "A high, high level. I know the problem with Jack Wilshere was just the injuries. He's lucky to play regularly for one season and he is going to be back to being one of the best midfield players in England by far. He's quality, he's smart and has the quality on the ball."
According to Xavi Hernandez, another esteemed Wilshere admirer and Guardiola's captain that night at the Emirates Stadium, the City manager would give "real consideration" to signing him. "Technically he is the sort of player Pep loves," he said recently. "If it wasn't for the issues he has had with injuries I am sure he would be one of the best midfield players in the world."
So while there are bigger decisions facing Arsenal in the summer of uncertainty that lies ahead, settling on what happens next for Wilshere should be somewhere near the top of their to-do list. The 25-year-old has finally found his feet at Bournemouth. Arsenal could yet reap the rewards.
Watch Manchester United v Bournemouth live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 11.30am on Saturday
