David Hillier has stated that Jack Wilshere is ‘just training’ with Arsenal in order to get fit and there is ‘no offer’ about him returning to the club, as he told the Highbury Squad Podcast.
The former Arsenal midfielder shared that he has ‘inside information’ on the matter and that Wilshere ‘hasn’t even spoken to anyone’ about returning.
Wilshere is currently a free-agent after parting ways with Championship side Bournemouth in the summer and the Arsenal academy product is yet to find a new club.
Mikel Arteta openly stated that the club’s doors are ‘open’ for the Englishman if he wants to return to North London, as he told Sky Sports.
But judging by Hillier’s comments, even though Arteta has spoken glowingly about the player, he won’t be returning to his old stomping ground and strutting his talents on the Emirates pitch again.
“I have got inside information on this as well,” said Hillier. “I am a lucky man, so I am actually playing Golf on Friday with a guy who does all his security systems at his house and he is very friendly with him.
“He was telling me about him. They are good friends, anyway, from back in the day. He said to me that ‘he is just training at the club to try and get another club’.
“There’s no offer of pay-as-play. He hasn’t even spoken to anyone at the club. He is happy to take a Championship club and just get back into football. He just wants to play. He wants to get fit.
“And he certainly doesn’t want to be someone who goes back to the club and just fizzles out at Arsenal. I know that, for sure. That was said in the conversation. He doesn’t want to be someone who wants to be a mentor. He still has got playing to do. He wants Arsenal to miss him. Nothing in it.”
It’s a crying shame as to how far Wilshere’s career has fallen off a cliff because many were expecting him to be one of the best players in the country at the age of 29.
Injuries did play their part in Wilshere’s career stagnating, as a spell at West Ham didn’t work out, nor did dropping down to England’s second-tier.
The problem facing the technically-gifted midfielder is that whilst injuries aren’t a problem now, it’s a case of how much have previous visits to the treatment room taken out of him.
From sharpness to speed, his mind may still have it, but if his body isn’t responding like it once used to then that’s where the issue lies.
But like many Arsenal fans would agree, as long as Wilshere finds a club that provides him with joy and happiness once more then that’s the first step in him moving forward.
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