Arsene Wenger is "convinced" that Jack Wilshere will sign a new Arsenal contract, saying the latest talks look "positive ...
Arsene Wenger is "convinced" that Jack Wilshere will sign a new Arsenal contract, saying the latest talks look "positive for the club."
Wilshere's current deal expires next month and he has so far balked at accepting a new offer from the club. But there appears to have been a breakthrough in talks in recent weeks, even though Wilshere himself recently said he may wait until Wenger's successor is appointed before making a decision.
Wenger, though, said both the club and Wilshere still want to reach an agreement.
"The latest conversation I had with Jack, it looks positive for the club," Wenger told a news conference on Tuesday. "I am not involved anymore in the negotiations, but of course I'm still in touch with Jack. If he wants my advice I'll give it to him. But I am convinced, like I always was, that his future is here. It was always my wish [that he stays], and I think it will happen, yes."
Arsenal had originally offered Wilshere a deal that would lower his basic salary but with plenty of incentives based on playing time, a reflection of his long history of serious injuries.
However, the club have reportedly improved that offer in recent weeks in order to get a deal over the line.
Wilshere himself told Sky Sports this week that he remained "hopeful" of signing a new deal, but that Wenger's departure this summer had "changed things a little bit because I don't know who is going to be the manager next year."
Wilshere added: "To be honest with you, I haven't really thought about [moving somewhere else]. I have said before that this is where I want to be and I have not really had much time to think about moving clubs.
"We have been playing every three or four days for the last three or four months so it has been difficult. I am concentrating on games and obviously the boss left so it has been a bad couple of months to be honest."
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