Should West Ham United Go For Wilshere In January?
According to reports from the Daily Star, Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is looking to force a move away to West Ham United in the upcoming January transfer window.
The 25-year old midfielder has understood that he is not a big part of the scheme of things at the North London club, and is willing to move to the Hammers, a club he supported during his boyhood, the report claims.
Having been billed as the future of the England national team ever since he burst through at the Emirates during his teens, Wilshere’s career hasn’t taken off due to serious injuries one after the other, that have blighted him throughout.
Last season, the midfielder was loaned out to Bournemouth, where after a decent start, another injury cut his campaign short. However, he was retained by the Gunners this season, but till date, he has made only 2 appearances – coming off the bench in the UEFA Europa League game against FC Cologne and starting the Carabao cup fixture against Doncaster Rovers.
However, it is very much likely that he will be relegated to just fleeting appearances in the cup games every now and then, with the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka all ahead of him in the pecking order.
This has prompted him to consider a move away at the earliest, as he looks to force his way into England manager Gareth Southgate’s plans for the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia. West Ham were reportedly interested in signing the midfielder back in the summer window, but backed out of a move, as Arsenal demanded £20million in transfer fees.
However, given that he is in the final year of his contract with the Gunners, and chances of a new offer looking slim, he will be available for a cut-price deal in January, as Arsenal would like to cash in on him, rather than losing him for free in the summer. So, should West Ham rekindle their interest?
Definitely. Despite his injury-ridden career, there is no doubt about the quality of Wilshere. A versatile midfielder who excels in the playmaker role, the 25-year old is extremely gifted in the technical aspect of the game. Great vision, even better close control of the ball and his ability to create a number of chances for his teammates going forward is what that has made him a breakout star at Arsenal.
A natural leader on the field, he is not afraid to go into challenges, despite his not so robust physicality and uses his quick-thinking and awareness to find that killer pass from the midfield. It is not just simply that the greatest of the midfielders in the game like Xavi Hernandez, Bastian Schweinsteiger rate him so highly.
This is something that West Ham seem to be lacking in the middle of the park, especially in the absence of their midfield creative hub Manuel Lanzini. In the likes of Cheikhou Kouyate, Pedro Obiang and Mark Noble they have the brute strength in the middle of the park, but they do lack the finesse and the creativity that Wilshere would be able to bring to the table.
Having someone like him in the ranks could unlock the best from the Hammers’ forward line of Javier Hernandez, Michail Antonio, Andy Carroll etc, as they will have someone who can find them in spaces from the deeper areas.
Wilshere’s injury issues remain an area of concern, but given that he will be available for a bargain due to his contract situation, he is a risk that the club should be willing to take, because if he manages to stay fit, the Irons will reap great rewards from the move.