Arsenal smart not to include recall clause in Jack Wilshere's loan deal
Jack Wilshere can’t play for Arsenal again this season
Arsenal’s decision to loan Jack Wilshere to Bournemouth didn’t make a lot of sense. Inserting a callback clause into the contract would’ve taken the decision from bad to worse for the Gunners.
Manager Arsene Wenger admitted to the media today that there is no mechanism in the midfielder’s loan to bring him back to the North London club early. He’s committed to suiting up for the Cherries as long as he stays healthy.
Allowing the spectre of a callback to Arsenal to hang over Wilshere’s time with Bournemouth would have been a disaster. The English midfielder would have constantly been pestered with speculation about a North London return. That would have hindered his ability to really blend in with his new teammates.
Ultimately, the only way Wilshere is going to kickstart his career is to really commit to the entire Bournemouth experience. He needs to play like he’s Cherry property. He needs to play like his career is on the line, because for all intents and purposes it may be.
If Wilshere can’t stay healthy and be a productive player for Bournemouth this year, the number of clubs willing to gamble on his future services will dissipate quickly. There was a ton of loan interest in the former England international this time around, but a failure for Eddie Howe’s club might permanently mark him as damaged goods.
Arsenal are gambling on a change of scenery allowing Wilshere to regain form away from the pressure of the Emirates. Yes, Bournemouth are still a Premier League club, but the stakes there are nowhere near what they are with the Gunners. It should allow Wilshere to play in a relatively pressure-free environment this year.
Arsenal made a foolish decision to send Jack Wilshere elsewhere to regain full fitness, but at least they didn’t compound their mistake by inserting a callback clause in the deal. The only way the move can succeed is for Jack Wilshere to commit fully to the Bournemouth cause for the remainder of this Premier League campaign.
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