Arsenal have reportedly asked Jack Wilshere to accept a substantial pay cut, which could drive him into the arms of Premier League rivals West Ham.
We know Mesut Ozil is staying and Alexis Sanchez has gone but, as yet, no one is any the wiser about Jack Wilshere’s future at Arsenal.
The England international is out of contract this summer and, despite recovering from those career-threatening injuries to become a key player once again at the Emirates, the academy graduate is yet to commit his future to the club.
Manager Arsene Wenger has claimed that talks are progressing well but the Sun claims differently. It is understood that Wilshere is understandably baffled by the fact that Arsenal have asked him to take a pay cut on 25 per cent his £120,000 a week wages shortly after teammate Ozil was handed a £200,000 pay rise.
And, unless Arsenal alter their approach, Wilshere could be on his way out; on the back of perhaps his best run of form for years.
What an opportunity for West Ham, then, to sign a player David Moyes would love to see strutting his stuff in claret and blue.
The Hammers boss told Tthe Guardian in December that he would definitely look at signing Wilshere if he became available, and the 26-year-old is exactly the kind of dynamic and forceful central midfielder Moyes tried and failed to sign during the January transfer window.
On a free, Wilshere would have the talent to be one of West Ham’s most inspired additions in years.
So they must keep a close eye on negotiations with Arsenal’s hardball approach serving only to alienate their number 10.
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