AC Milan are looking to make a swoop for Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere next summer. According to recent reports, the Serie A giants are hoping to secure the services of the English midfielder when the transfer window reopens at the end of the season.
Wilshere caught the eye of Milan chiefs with his performance in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 clash at the San Siro last week where the Gunners ran out 2-0 winners on the night. The 26-year-old’s current contract with the North London outfit runs out in the summer and has been unable to agree to terms on a new long-term contract after being told to take a 25 percent pay cut by the club authorities.
The England international earns a reported £120,000 a week at the Emirates Stadium with Arsenal only prepared to offer him a basic weekly wage of £90,000, which Wilshere is set to decline. The Gunners are eager to keep hold of his services but AC Milan could swoop in ahead of Juventus and Sampdoria, who are also plotting a move for the midfield ace. Wilshere is currently available to pen a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club of his choosing as he has entered the final six months of his contract.
When asked to address the midfielder’s future, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger remains hopeful that an agreement can be reached and was quoted to have said, “I see Jack here because he is an Arsenal man,”
“Nobody questions his love and commitment to the club.
“We have to find an agreement that makes him happy and wish that, in the future, he remains fit.”
The Gunners have slumped to sixth place in the Premier League table, eight points shy of fifth-placed Chelsea and 33 points behind league leaders Manchester City. They are in dire need of reinforcements in the summer but whether Wilshere will still be at the club by then, remains to be seen.
The 26-year-old has featured in 32 matches for Arsenal this season, scoring two goals while providing 5 assists in all competitions. Arsene Wenger’s side cannot afford to lose a player of his calibre, especially after losing Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United during the January transfer window and should do all they can to sign him up on a new long-term deal. He has already proven in the past that he can be a match-winner and to lose someone of his talents will undoubtedly be a huge blow for the Gunners ahead of the new campaign.
However, his poor record with injuries remains a concern for the club as the club looks to bridge the gap between themselves and the top 4 in the coming years. Only time will tell what lies ahead in the future of Wilshere and whether he ends up leaving the Emirates Stadium next summer.
