Friday 9 September 2016 09:31, UK
Eddie Howe hopes Bournemouth's risk-attached deal for Jack Wilshere can see him return to Arsenal a different player.
Wilshere joined the Cherries on a season-long loan from Arsenal on Transfer Deadline Day and made his debut for the club in a friendly against AC Milan last weekend.
The 24-year-old is expected to play his first Premier League game for Howe's side this weekend when they take on West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, and the Bournemouth boss is hoping Wilshere can have a career-defining impact at the Vitality Stadium.
"I think it is a brave decision for his career but hopefully a good one," Howe said. "Hopefully when he looks back in a year's time, he will see it as a turning point in his career for the better."
"If you had said to me [a few years ago] that we would have the opportunity to sign someone like Jack I would have said it is not possible.
"It is a moment we look on and think 'wow, that is a big moment for the football club'.
"It is a different path for us, there are risks attached to that but there are also huge benefits if it goes well."
Wilshere was left out of Sam Allardyce's first England squad as manager despite having been part of the set-up at Euro 2016 this summer, while Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was willing to allow the player to leave the Emirates in search of first-team football having signed central-midfielder Granit Xhaka during the transfer window.
Bournemouth faced competition from Crystal Palace for Wilshere, while Italian giants Roma and Milan were also among the 22 clubs chasing a temporary deal for the midfielder.
"I think the key thing for Jack is he wants to stay in the Premier League, I think that was important for us [getting the deal done]," said Howe.
"[Arsenal] were happy to go with Jack's decision but I think it had to be a good fit.
"Ultimately Arsenal want us to get the best out of Jack and it will benefit everybody if his loan spell is successful, so the environment had to be right and all parties will benefit."
The signing of Wilshere has had a positive effect on the rest of the Bournemouth squad, according to Howe, who believes the overall quality of the team will improve because of Wilshere's arrival.
"He has settled in to the dynamics and the changing room very well," said Howe. "I think he has been very bright in training, as you would expect.
"It has given other players a lift. The level of training has gone up because he is here but ultimately our players are going to enjoy playing with him."
