Arsene Wenger has not spoken to Jack Wilshere since broken leg wrecked Arsenal midfielder’s loan to Bournemouth
Gunners boss insists the latest injury will have no effect on the contract offer for the England star
ARSENE WENGER revealed he has not yet spoken to Jack Wilshere about his broken-leg heartbreak.
And the Arsenal boss admitted his sadness that yet another injury is preventing the England midfielder from fulfilling his huge potential.
Wilshere, 25, is on the sidelines again after suffering a hairline fracture playing for loan club Bournemouth against Tottenham on Saturday.
Since making his Arsenal debut in 2008, Wilshere has started just 156 competitive matches.
Arsenal boss Wenger said: “A great career doesn’t suffer from stop and go — you have to be consistently present.
“When you look at all the players who are at the top level in the world, like Cristiano Ronaldo, these guys play 50 or 60 games a year.
"They have the luck of not being stopped by injuries. You’re always sad when a guy of that quality is stopped by problems.
“Jack is a great football player with a great football brain. His career has been stopped by many injuries.
“Today, at the top level, the most important thing is the consistency of the presence.
“When a player has been out for a while, the game is of such intensity that it always takes you a while to get your confidence back.”
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Wenger confirmed his first talks with Wilshere will come next week — but maintained the latest injury, sustained in a tackle with Harry Kane, is unlikely to affect a possible new deal.
The 34-cap international has a contract until the end of next season.
The Gunners are likely to offer him a one-year extension to ensure his market value remains high.
Wenger insisted: “This injury is nothing to do with the extension of Jack’s contract. We haven’t entered into negotiations yet.
“We think it’s a very simple fracture of the fibula that doesn’t need any surgery.
“Hopefully he will be back in July for normal training.
“The loan spell ends at the end of the season, so during the break all the rehab will be made here.”
Wenger is preparing for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City and says the result will have no influence on whether he remains at the club.
He insisted: “It doesn’t play any part in that. The next game is an opportunity to win a trophy. My future is Sunday.”