Swansea Join the Race to Sign Arsenal Misfit Jack Wilshere After Reports of Italian Interest
Swansea City manager Paul Clement is reportedly interested in bringing Arsenal's Jack Wilshere into the club, with only one year left on his contract at the Emirates.
Arsene Wenger has made the England international available for transfer this summer after a loan spell at Bournemouth last season, and the north London club are said to be holding out for a bid in the region of £20m.
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According to the Telegraph, Swansea have joined the race to sign the 25-year-old, but face stiff competition from West Ham and Newcastle.
The Swans are said to be in the hunt for a central midfielder - the club being linked to Huddersfield's youngster Phillip Billing and West Brom's Nacer Chadli, as well as Las Palmas attacking midfielder Jonathan Viera.
Clement's chances of actually signing Wilshere seem slim. Firstly, a fee of £20m would likely be deemed too high for a player who is very well known for frequently being on the injury table. Secondly, his current wages of £90,000 per week would be unlikely to be matched by the Swans, and with the midfielder angling for a move to West Ham, he may take some persuading to be taken into South Wales.
However, Slaven Bilic is reportedly reluctant to buy Wilshere outright, the Croatian manager wary of his injury problems.
With Wilshere running into the final year of his contract, Arsenal will be desperate to sell him rather than lose the central midfielder for free next summer.
After already declining a bid from Sampdoria for his services, Arsenal may be forced to lower their asking price in order to move him on permanently.
