Jack Wilshere hints he wouldn’t have joined West Ham United from Arsenal had Arsene Wenger stuck around in North London.
West Ham United midfielder Jack Wilshere has told The Islington Gazette that he would not have left Arsenal had Arsene Wenger stayed at the club.
The legendary French manager walked away from the Gunners after a 22-year service this past summer, following a sixth-placed Premier League finish.
Wilshere joined West Ham on a free transfer in July, but the England international, given his Arsenal debut by Wenger as a 16-year-old in 2008, told The Islington Gazette that he probably would’ve extended his stay in North London if not for his ex-manager’s departure.
He said: “If Arsene had stayed I would have stayed because of the influence he had in my career and the trust he had in me. He gave me the armband and respected me a lot.
“So, I had pretty much agreed to stay. And then he left and that changed things.
“Arsene had said to me previously “stay and fight your way back into the team” – because I knew Arsene and knew he had trust in me, I knew I could do that and fight my way into the team.”
Wilshere is currently sidelined with an ankle injury after undergoing minor surgery in September.
The West Ham ace was initially expected to miss six weeks, but the 26-year-old is now not due back until November.
He has only managed four Premier League appearances with the Irons since arriving, losing all of them.
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