Jack Wilshere could be set for a surprise return to Arsenal in view of a coaching role after both parties reportedly held talks over an agreement.
The 30-year-old is currently without a club after seeing his contract with Danish side Aarhus come to an end. He is yet to decide the exact next step he will take but has already detailed his love for coaching and says he is openly interested in exploring that option when he fully retires.
Wilshere could yet be given a coaching opportunity earlier than expected. As per the Evening Standard, the former Arsenal star has held talks with Arsenal ’s academy manager Per Mertesacker regarding two vacant roles at the club. As it stands, the Gunners are without a under-18s boss and a under-23s manager, following the recent departures of Dan Micciche and Kevin Betsy to Crawley Town.
Having already experienced little coaching with Mikel Arteta, Wilshere could yet be interested in taking up one of the available vacancies.
Wilshere already has coaching on his mind
Wilshere is already familiar with the Arsenal setup, as he helped out with some coaching with the academy sides before he joined Aarhus. Speaking back in February, the Englishman recalls his time helping off the pitch and admits he enjoyed every bit of it.
“I feel even in a short amount of time I’ve improved so much as a coach, I’ve learnt so much about the coaching side of the game, I’ve really enjoyed it,” Wilshere told the club website in February.
“I took pride [in passing on my knowledge to the academy players], but also where the coaches help me is that it’s one thing having the knowledge, I’ve been in all of those players’ footsteps and made it to the first team, but it’s alright knowing that and knowing how you do it, but it’s about how you get that across to the players and how you teach them and the coaches have really helped me with that.”
Remaining a player is still an option
Despite being out of contract and facing recurring injuries that have put a major doubt on his career, Wilshere has not ruled out the possibility of continuing as a professional player. In an interview back in May though, he did not hide his love for coaching and it is now likely he would consider the latest offer from Arsenal.
“I was coaching every day with the under-18s and under-23s. I loved every minute of it. When I was a player under Arsene Wenger I never really wanted to be a coach, and I never looked at him like that,” he told the Daily Telegraph .
“I just listened to him and learned from him that way. But when I first started coaching the one I was watching was Mikel [Arteta]. He helped, along with the young players, to inspire me to want to be a coach.
