Jack Wilshere says it would be “a dream come true” to return to Arsenal, but acknowledges it is unrealistic at present.
The former England midfielder has been a free agent since leaving West Ham United at the start of October, with a year still to run on his three-year deal with the club.
He is in Dubai currently, training at the NAS Sports Complex, as he bids to maintain his fitness if any club does agree a deal with him.
On Tuesday, the former England striker Darren Bent suggested Arsenal should resign Wilshere, who spent seven years with the London club’s academy, and then 10 years in the senior side before leaving in 2018.
Arsenal have gone more than seven hours without a goal in open play in the Premier League, and sit 12th in the table.
Bent believes Wilshere has “got that creativity” to help revive Mikel Arteta’s side, and that he would jump at a move to return because “I know how much he loves the club”.
“I’m not saying give him a normal contract, but on a pay-as-you-play, I’d take him back tomorrow,” Bent said on UK radio.
“He’s only 28, a pay-as-you-play deal makes sense.”
Wilshere says he feels he has unfinished business at Arsenal, but thinks “that ship has sailed”.
"Growing up I was a West Ham fan, but because I was in the [Arsenal] academy for so long, you lose that," Wilshere told The National.
“I wasn’t like a normal kid. I was very lucky to be in such a good academy, and I learnt to love Arsenal.
“It was my dream to play for Arsenal and win things with them. And I did.
“I don’t feel like I’ve completed my time there, but at the same time, I’m realistic enough to know the club has moved on, and they have different ideas.
“Obviously, it would be a dream come true, but I think that ship has sailed, and it is time to look at different things.”
Wilshere believes Arsenal already have a solution to their lack of creativity, in the form of their out-of-favour German playmaker Mesut Ozil.
“I don’t know what has gone on there, but when you look on, it is crying out for an Ozil-type player,” Wilshere said.
“Especially with the quality they have up front, with the likes of [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and [Alexandre] Lacazette, players who would thrive of someone like that.
“I think Arteta knows what he is doing. He has a plan, and it is going to take some time and I think he will get there eventually.”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The five pillars of Islam
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Monster Hunter: World
Capcom
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
League Cup, last 16
Manchester City v Southampton, Tuesday, 11.45pm (UAE)
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More coverage from the Future Forum
The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
