Jack Wilshere Set To Leave Arsenal

CHARLIE MALAM

Jack Wilshere has dropped a huge hint that he is to leave Arsenal at the end of his current contract with the club.

The midfielder’s deal with the Gunners runs out on July 1 and he has been in talks with the North London club to extend his stay for several months. But the 26-year-old, who has been with the club since the age of nine, has failed to agree terms with it thought that Arsenal’s wage offer was made up largely of appearance-based incentives and cut his basic salary – thought to be around £90,000-a-week – significantly. And Wilshere has suggested that he will become a free agent in a few weeks’ time with a philosophical post to his Instagram story on Wednesday night.

The England international’s post, a plain picture bearing a quote, read: “There comes a time when you have to choose between turning the page and closing the book.”

The Arsenal academy graduate’s improved fitness was not enough to earn him a spot on the plane as part of England’s 23-man World Cup squad for Russia, even missing out on Gareth Southgate’s five-man back-up list.

New Arsenal boss Unai Emery was thought to be keen to keep play-maker Wilshere, although the Spaniard is in the process of tying up a £26million deal for Uruguay and Sampdoria midfielder Lucas Torreira which creates further competition in the middle.

Wilshere has been linked with Crystal Palace, Juventus and West Ham United among other clubs as he appears to near an Arsenal exit after 14 goals in 197 appearances since his September 2008 debut.