Former Arsenal and England star Wilshere released by Bournemouth

Robin Bairner
Robin Bairner
  • 27 May 2021 13:14 BST
  • 4 min read
Former Arsenal and England star Wilshere released by Bournemouth
© ProShots

Bournemouth have announced the former Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere will be released at the end of his contract.

The 29-year-old Wilshere was once a favourite of the Emirates Stadium but endured countless injury problems that saw him ultimately pushed to West Ham in 2018.

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After two years with the Hammers, Wilshere moved to Championship side Bournemouth in January, having spent a successful season on loan there in 2016/17.

Wilshere was given a six-month contract by the Cherries, but he will not have it renewed, the club have announced.

In a statement on the club’s website, it was stated: “Jack Wilshere will leave the club upon the expiry of his short-term contract, having made 17 appearances and scoring two goals since putting pen to paper in January.”

Meanwhile, a further message on social media said: “A class act on and off the pitch. We’d like to thank Jack Wilshere for his efforts since returning to the club and wish him all the best moving forward.”

Wilshere made his Bournemouth debut on 19 January off the bench in a 1-0 loss against Derby, but despite promising signs early on, including goals against Crawley Town and Birmingham, he struggled to win his place back in the team on a regular basis after being dismissed against Watford.

Indeed, he played only nine minutes of the playoff semi-final against Brentford, in which the Cherries lost 3-2 on aggregate to end their season.

What next for Jack Wilshere?

Given his stature, Wilshere is sure to receive other offers from clubs in the Championship or below. Indeed, there has long been talk of the former England man joining up with Steven Gerrard’s Rangers side in Scotland, although this latest setback certainly does not help that cause.

Indeed, Wilshere is now at a crossroads in his career, in which his resolve to return to the top level will be severely tested. Having once been England’s hottest young prospects at Arsenal, his future is entirely uncertain.

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