Jack Wilshere rejoins Bournemouth on short-term deal

Nicholas Hughes

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Jack Wilshere will make a return to Bournemouth on a short-term deal having been without a club since being released by West Ham in the summer, according to Sky Sports.

The 29-year-old spent the 2016/17 season on loan at the Cherries where he made 27 appearances in the Premier League but will now be joining them in the Championship.

Wilshere had been training with Bournemouth in order to regain fitness, and as recently as a couple of days ago manager Jason Tindall had refuted claims that a deal was going to be signed.

It was initially rumoured that the signing of Wilshere would be fast-tracked after an injury sustained to Junior Stanislas, but Tindall insisted at the time his presence was merely a boost in training.

“When you’ve got a player of Jack’s quality training with you, it can only be a good thing,” he said.

When asked about a potential deal last week, the manager was adamant that “he’s certainly not about to sign a deal.”

Wilshere steps down to the English Championship

But Wilshere has now signed for the club in what will be his first stint in the Championship. Even his prior loan spell at Bolton Wanderers over 10 years ago came in the top flight.

Once touted as England’s next top-class midfielder, Wilshere made 198 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal where he scored 14 goals and laid 30 assists.

A winner of two FA Cups with the Gunners, Wilshere looked set to lead the club, and the national team, into the future but a string of injury issues ultimately stunted his impact.

A 34 times capped England international, the Jack Wilshere that England saw in the end was ultimately affected by this, with his longest spell on the sidelines seeing him miss almost 50 games for Arsenal between 2015 and 2016 with a hairline fracture in his leg.

Wilshere spent last season at West Ham, playing 16 times in the league, before he was released in the summer.