Injury-Plagued Arsenal Ace Eyed by Serie A Club With Emirates Future Looking Bleak
Jack Wilshere's next move could see him head to mainland Europe, after reports suggested Sampdoria are looking to lure him to Serie A.
The Arsenal midfielder's future is in jeopardy after a series of long-term injuries, a season-long loan at Bournemouth last season, and his contract entering its final year have all led to speculation that his Gunners career may soon be over.
Now, the Daily Mail has claimed that Sampdoria have enquired about Wilshere's availability and are willing to spend up to £9m to take him off Arsene Wenger's hands permanently.
Arsenal's English midfielder Jack Wilshere warms up before the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Arsenal at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on August 20, 2016. / AFP / OLI SCARFF / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images)
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However, the Genoa-based club fear that Arsenal will want a substantially greater fee for the 25-year-old - a price tag that would surely prevent the Stadio Luigi Ferraris-based side from prising him away from north London.
Wilshere was once viewed as the biggest talent to emerge from Arsenal's youth academy for some time, but the past two seasons have seen his stock decline rapidly thanks to rotten luck with injuries.
The Stevenage-born footballer has suffered two broken legs, a hairline fracture in his foot and three niggling ankle issues since May 2014 - injuries that have resulted in Wilshere missing a whopping 84 first-team matches for Arsenal in the past three years.
Wilshere was sent to Bournemouth last season as Wenger admitted he couldn't guarantee him regular first-team football, with the added incentive that Wilshere needed to prove his fitness to his parent club to stake a place in their starting lineup.
After an impressive start for the Cherries, Wilshere was eventually dropped to the bench from March onwards as his form dipped, before the second of broken legs ended his season prematurely in the 4-0 defeat to Tottenham on 15th April.
Wilshere has since spent time out in Dubai to recover in time for the start of this term, but was unable to be part of the Gunners' pre-season tour to Australia due to his rehabilitation programme.
That, coupled with a lack of communication over a possible new deal, has led to gossip columns linking him with moves away from the club.
West Ham and Everton were tentatively linked with swoops for him in the past, but it is Sampdoria who are the only current party interested in his signature.
