Wilshere will be offered new Arsenal deal

“We have to plan around the new year”, boss Arsene Wenger told reporters when asked if Wilshere would be offered a new deal by Arsenal.

Wilshere has played 834 minutes for club and country this season, yet hasn’t racked up a single assist or goal.

“Your priority is your club”, said Howe.

It will be interesting to see what midfield combination Arsenal will go with against Bournemouth, after Santi Cazorla’s injury has left somewhat of a void which is still left to be filled properly.

Wilshere will enter the final year of his contract at the end of the season, leaving Arsenal facing the prospect of losing him on a free transfer in 2018, but Wenger is keen for him to sign fresh terms.

“It is something we have got to be aware of because it has happened a couple of times lately”. Petr Cech is expected to come back in for David Ospina whilst Nacho Monreal should replace Kieran Gibbs who played against PSG.

Their last two league games were against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, both of which ended in a 1-1 draw, leading to the Gunners dropping four crucial points.

Wenger also warned other Arsenal players who find themselves on the fringes of the first team that they will not necessarily be given the same opportunity as Wilshere.

Wilshere said this week he hopes Bournemouth will win Sunday’s game – and Wenger insisted he was correct to say so. “We need to find our pacy combinations, we have missed that fluency”, he added.

“I would say Bournemouth is a team who has a good possession game, it is a team who tries to play in a positive way, who tries to go forward very quickly”.

Wilshere’s excellent performance against Stoke City last week also saw him win the Premier League man of the match award. If Arsenal pile too many players forward, it could just play into Bournemouth’s hands.

Arsenal to win and both teams to score is 15/8 at the Sportsbook and that’s definitely got some stats to support it. If Wilshere stays fit for the remainder of his loan spell and they think he can contribute to their club next season, he can pull on the Arsenal red again.

But Wenger thinks highly enough of Howe to have sent Jack Wilshere to Bournemouth on a season-long loan.

Much has been made of Arsenal throughout a traditionally tough November period. “They are loyal to their philosophy and the way they play, they have strong beliefs and win, lose or draw, they’ll continue to do the same things”.

Wenger spoke about Granit Xhaka earlier today, saying the midfielder needs time to adapt to the English Premier league, so it is unlikely that Xhaka will start and Wenger will likely stick to the midfield pair of Francis Coquelin and Aaron Ramsey that he opted for in mid-week.