Jack Wilshere is happy that Mikel Arteta is willing to allow him to train with Arsenal while he awaits his next move in his football career.
The once-promising football star is currently without a club since Bournemouth decided to end their relationship with him on January 18, 2021.
Jack Wilshere is a product of Arsenal’s youth system. The 29-year-old out-of-favor English central midfielder gained promotion to the club’s senior team on July 1, 2008.
Before things got sour for him, Wilshere played 197 times in all competitions for Arsenal. In those games, the former England international scored 14 goals and provided 30 assists.
His effort at the Emirates Stadium helped Arsenal to win two FA Cups, and one Community Shield before consistent recurrence of injuries forced the club to allow him to join West Ham for free.
He did not spend more than two seasons at West Ham before the club decided to offload him to Bournemouth. He spent less than a season at Bournemouth before the club released him.
Due to how difficult it has been for him to live up to his potentials, he battled mental health-related issues. Amidst his struggle to deal with his challenges, coach Mikel Arteta said Arsenal’s doors are always open for Jack Wilshere to return to training at the club.
While speaking as part of a mental health campaign between CALM and Original Penguin, Wilshere said: “To hear the manager – who I played with, who I had a good relationship with, I really enjoyed playing with him, sharing the dressing room with him – to hear him come out and say the door is always open is nice.”
On training with Arsenal, Wilshere added: “It can only help me.
“Being around good players, training with world-class players, and as well just being in a team environment is something I’m interested in.
“I’m sure that I’ll have a conversation with someone at the club over the next couple of days.”
Jack Wilshere and his battle with mental health
At a point, Jack Wilshere was so promising that he was seen as the future of English football. In the 2010-2011 season, the English midfielder won Arsenal’s Player of the Year and was voted PFA Young Player of the year.
Before his form and fitness issues disrupted his once flourishing football career, Jack Wilshere made 34 appearances for England’s national team scoring two goals.
But now, he is not close to having a new club nor a chance to play under England’s head coach Gareth Southgate.
Despite all the negativities surrounding his football career, Jack Wilshere said the encouragement from people he looks up to has given him the hunger to keep working hard for another chance to play professional football.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Wilshere said: “When I spoke out that I was training on my own, that I was having these thoughts of: ‘what am I training for?’
“The response from everyone really – but mainly people in the game that I respect, ex-players, people that I look up to reaching out to me, saying you’ve still got a lot to give – it made me even more hungry to come back and just enjoy my football again.
“Us as players have to be willing to speak up, speak about our feelings and realize it’s not a weakness, it’s actually really brave and people will help you if you need help.”
